SAN DIEGO - Although LaShae Collins bested appointed Trustee Sharon Whitehurst-Payne in Tuesday's primary election for a seat on the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education, both will advance to a city- wide runoff in November to decide the winner.
Collins had a 59 to 41 percent lead over Payne as of Wednesday morning.
Only residents in sub-district E voted for their respective representative on the school board Tuesday, but because the top two vote- getters advance to a runoff, voters across San Diego will decid whether Collins, the district director for Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, or Whitehurst-Payne, a longtime educator and school volunteer, will be elected.
Whitehurst-Payne was appointed to fill the remainder of Marne Foster's term earlier this year, after Foster resigned and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating the Political Reform Act by accepting an excessive donation from a single donor. She represents southeast San Diego neighborhoods in the Lincoln High, Morse High and portions of the Crawford High areas.
Incumbent board member John Lee Evans, a psychologist and former teacher, defeated Stephan Groce, but both will also advance to a runoff.
Trustee Richard Barrera, a labor union leader, was unopposed for a third term to represent south and central San Diego.
