HPISD Place 4 Trustee Recount Called Off During Count, Original Results Stand

Highland Park ISD place 4 trustee candidate Tyler Beeson, who challenged incumbent Jae Ellis for the seat, called off the recount process Thursday during the vote-counting process. 

Beeson requested the recount the week of May 16, and as the recount process wasn’t finished, the original canvass of the May 7 election will stand, the district’s assistant superintendent for business services, who attended the recount process, explained. Ellis received 51% of the vote (4,184 votes) to Beeson’s 49% (4,041 votes), so Ellis will be sworn in at the next school board meeting, which is scheduled for June 14.

(READ: HPISD School Board Candidate Intends To Request Recount)

“The election recount has concluded, and it has been determined that election integrity was upheld. I made the difficult decision to call off the remainder of the recount prior to completion, as it was clear 141 votes were not going to be found through this straightforward and professional recount process. I want to wish Jae Ellis a heartfelt congratulations and say GO SCOTS, to all of HPISD,” Beeson said. “Even though we may have narrowly lost this election, better days for HPISD are ahead if this community keeps its eye on settling for nothing less than academic excellence. 

Ellis didn’t comment at the time of this post.

At the May 17 board meeting, Ellen Lee, who led insurance executive Spencer Siino in the place 5 seat on the Highland Park ISD board of trustees (held by former trustee Edward Herring, who was first elected to the board in 2016) with 59% of the vote (4,837 votes) in unofficial results to Siino’s 41% (3,384 votes), and place 3 trustee Bryce Benson, who ran unopposed, were sworn in.

Following the administration of the oath of office, the board voted to keep president Tom Sharpe in his role, place 2 trustee Maryjane Bonfield as vice president, Benson as secretary, and place 1 trustee Doug Woodward as finance chair.