Incumbents Fall in Stephens Co. BOE Races

The Stephens County Board of Education will be gaining two new members in January.

Tuesday, both challengers won their respective school board Republican primaries.

In the race for the At-Large seat on the Stephens County Board of Education, Len Stovall defeated incumbent Tony Crunkleton.

The final vote total showed 1,974 votes, or 53.38 percent, for Stovall to 1,724 votes, or 46.62 percent, for Crunkleton.

Stovall said he is grateful for the support shown to him by the voters.

“I would just like to thank everybody that came out and voted, thank everybody that supported me doing this,” said Stovall. “I want to thank my opponent, Tony Crunkleton, and I look forward to working with the board and getting started.”

Moving to the District 3, Post 2 seat on the Stephens County Board of Education, challenger Mark Smith beat incumbent Jim Ledford.

Smith had 2,328 votes, or 63.90 percent, to Ledford’s 1,315 votes, or 36.10 percent.

Smith said he looks forward to serving the citizens of Stephens County.

“I would just like to say thanks to all the supporters in Stephens County and my friends and family and my wife, Jennifer and I, are just humbled from the whole experience and the outpouring of support we received,” said Smith. “I would like to say thanks to my opponent, Jim Ledford, for a clean campaign and I appreciate his service for the past few years he has been on the board. I look forward to serving with the board as it is now and hope that we can see some progress and change in our education system.”

Neither Stovall or Smith has any Democratic opposition in November.

Also, Wendy Dawkins was elected without any opposition in the Republican primary for the District 1, Post 1 seat on the Stephens County Board of Education.

Dawkins will also be unopposed in the Fall for a four-year term. She is already serving on the school board, having been appointed to fill the remainder of Dr. Elizabeth Pinkerton’s term, which ends at the end of this year.