Published: May 12, 2008 05:42 pm            

Allen, Larrison win CISD board seats

By Philip Navarrette

reporter@trcle.com



Brad Allen and MJ Larrison are the newest members of the Cleburne ISD school board, voters decided Saturday.

In the race for Place 1, Brad Allen garnered 571 votes, beating out Wendell Dempsey’s 496 and Cindy Mangrum’s 335.

In the unexpired Place 6 race, Larrison took 851 votes to Lori Zachary’s 532.

Stu Madison, who ran unopposed, had 1,008 votes. The district recorded a total of 1,427 votes, election administrator Sally Smith said.

After winning, both Allen and Larrison said they were grateful, but relieved the election is over.

“I have so many people I have to thank for the last two weeks — friends and family that have made phone call after phone call and kept encouraging me to stay after the campaign,” Allen said. “I’m so very grateful for everybody who worked today and through early voting for helping me win this election and get back on the Cleburne school board.”

Allen wanted to especially thank his wife Kim for her help and support throughout the election.

“I’d also like to congratulate Cindy Mangrum on a great campaign and Mr. Wendell Dempsey for putting his name in the hat to try to make a difference in our community as well,” Allen said.

Larrison thanked voters for supporting her at the polls and said she’s ready to get down to business.

“We’ll try to move over and get a lot of this TEA business behind us so we can get back to where Cleburne’s supposed to be,” she said.

Larrison also sent her best to Zachary for running a good campaign and being a true opponent.

As for voter turnout, the candidates had mixed views.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Allen said. “Based on early voting, I thought it would be between 1,400 and 1,600 votes, so it came in pretty close to what I thought.”

“I was very disappointed,” Larrison said. “I realize it’s Mother’s Day, and school’s been out for two days, but you’ve got to support your schools. That was kind of a low turnout, and I wish more people had participated.”

Zachary echoed Larrison’s feelings.

“I’m disappointed in voter turnout,” she said. “It looks like roughly 1/30th of our population voted today on something that seems like everyone should be interested in. But I congratulate Brad Allen, MJ and Stu, and I hope they do well.”

Though she lost, Mangrum thanked her supporters.

“I am so happy with my family and friends for all of their support and all of their love,” she said. “I am highly disappointed with the turnout. With all the issues that are facing our school board, we don’t care enough to get out and make a change. Apparently voters believed who they put in place was the person for the job. I, however, don’t see how the issues that are facing our school board are going to be met.”

Dempsey could not be reached for comment.

        

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