RALEIGH -- A state panel decided Tuesday that Wake County should proceed with a closely watched school board runoff, a contest that's likely to ensure a takeover by opponents of historic board policies.
With a 4-1 vote, the State Board of Elections decided that a runoff between District 2 school board candidates John Tedesco and Cathy Truitt should go forward on Tuesday even though Truitt had sought to take back her request for the contest.
If she gets the most votes, she could serve as a board member. If she were to resign after being elected, the school board that takes office in December would fill her seat, county election officials said.
Tedesco, a critic of current school board policies, including forced busing for diversity and mandatory year-round schools, placed far ahead of Truitt on Oct. 6. Because he failed to gain a majority of votes, second-place finisher Truitt asked for a runoff. Then she changed her mind -- after early voting had already begun.
"We expected such from the board," Tedesco said. "We just hope there is time to educate nearly 7,000 voters who may have been confused by all the on-off mixed messages.
"We are mobilizing door knocks, mailings, phone calls, events and press conferences."
The makeup of the nine-member Wake school board should be set after Tuesday's election, with a majority likely made up of candidates who have said they are prepared to overturn busing for diversity and other current school system policies in favor of neighborhood schools.
Truitt was out of town on business Tuesday, and efforts to reach her were unsuccessful.
At the State Board of Elections meeting, member Anita Earls said there should be a high bar againstdiscounting votes that have already been cast, as they have been in early voting in the race.
"Proceeding with the runoff elections is required by state law," said Earls, a Democrat.
Board member Bill Peaslee contested Earls' motion to have the election continue.
"If [Truitt] wants to rescind it, I think it's her call," said Peaslee, a former state Republican Party chief who was the only dissenting vote.
The county elections board was originally asked to settle the issue and had passed the decision on to the state board.
"On Oct. 21, [Truitt] came into our office and stated that she would like to withdraw her request [for a runoff] if possible," said Cherie Poucher, director of the Wake County Board of Elections.
After the state elections board meeting, Poucher said that Truitt could still become a board member if she receives the most votes, because she has not officially withdrawn as a candidate.
"Or she can withdraw as a candidate -- then if she receives the most votes, the seat would be vacant when the new board is sworn in," Poucher said. "But at this time, that is a moot point since she has not withdrawn her candidacy."
Incumbent Horace Tart remains on the board until a successor is installed, she said.
Bob Joyce, a lawyer on the faculty of the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill, said the law does allow a winning candidate to resign before taking an oath.
"I don't think the vacancy would exist until the term of the current officeholder expires," Joyce said.
