Loudoun School Board Candidates Separated By 135 Votes After Election Day Tally

ASHBURN, VA — A pair of school board candidates in Loudoun County are separated by 135 votes after Election Day. The race isn't over, as officials will accept mail-in ballots that have already been sent as long as they are received by 12 p.m. on Monday.

Incumbent Andrew Hoyler was being challenged by Nicholas Gothard and Tiffany Polifko in the Broad Run district. Hoyler conceded the election on Tuesday night.

With Tuesday's ballots counted, Polifko holds a 135 vote lead over Gothard, according to unofficial results.

"I am humbled by the overwhelming number of votes our campaign for public education has already won in this election," Gothard told Patch on Wednesday. "With a razor-thin margin and potentially hundreds of votes still to be counted, our campaign is fighting to make every voice heard and every vote counted."

Hoyler trailed Polifko 1,100 votes on Tuesday night and posted a concession message on Facebook.

"To the absolutely amazing Broad Run District- it has been my honor to represent you over the past 13 months. Unfortunately, my time has come and the voters have spoken. It has truly been my pleasure interacting with so many of you," Hoyler said. "The election has not been finalized yet, so I am not yet sure who will be representing us for the next year. I just know it will not be me."

In Leesburg, voters chose between three newcomers for their school board seat: Erika Ogedegbe, Lauren Shernoff, and Michael Rivera. Ogedegbe held a lead of more than 1,000 votes on Tuesday night.

Refresh this page for the latest election results. See live results at the bottom of this story.

The Leesburg seat on the Loudoun County School Board has been contentious in recent years. Residents across the county have taken issue with the school board over concerns about critical race theory, inclusive policies for transgender students, and accountability within the school board.

Former school board member Beth Barts resigned from her post in 2021. Her seat was then filled by Tom Marshall, who chose not to seek election. On Tuesday, voters will select one candidate to fill the seat in a special election. A regular election will follow in 2023.

None of the Leesburg school board candidates have political experience, but two of them have educational experience. Erika Ogedegbe currently works at American University as a Chief Data Architect. Lauren Shernoff works part-time at Loudoun County Public Schools as an English and language arts facilitator. Michael Rivera has previously worked in information technology and construction; he is now a deputy with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

All three candidates have expressed dismay about the partisan nature of the current school board and the toxic and controversial atmosphere that has surrounded it in recent years.

Unofficial election results will start to come in on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

REAL-TIME RESULTS FOR SCHOOL BOARD RACE (BROAD RUN DISTRICT)

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All the candidates have noted concerns about learning loss after the pandemic. Hoyler noted it as one of his biggest priorities in an interview with WJLA.

Polifko says on her campaign website that she will focus on "parents' rights."

"Parents have the right to view themselves as primary educators and schools must respect this," Polifko wrote. "Schools exist to educate students, not police or promote medical procedures that threaten the autonomy of family choice."

If elected, Polifko said she would stand against Policy 8040, which allows equal access to activities and facilities for transgender students.

Gothard's campaign pillars include mental health advocacy, diversifying education offerings, and supporting a transition to electric school buses. Gothard would focus on expanded career and technical education, increased access to science and technology programs, and adequate fine arts materials, according to his website. Gothard is also openly gay and has advocated for non-discrimination efforts against LGBT students.

This is a developing story. Refresh for the latest results.