Hopkins, Carter return, welcome Page

After months of waiting, Orange County voters finally had their chance to hit the polls Tuesday.
In District 3, 1,222 voters chose incumbent candidate Judy Carter, awarding her a second consecutive term on the school board. She also served on the board as an appointed member from 1988 to 1999. Carter ran unopposed and received 98.7 percent of the vote. Sixteen votes were submitted for write-in candidates.
Also running unopposed for school board was newcomer Sherrie Page. Page received 1,328 votes, 98.44 percent, to become District 2's new school board member. Twenty-one votes, or 1.55 percent, were submitted for write-in candidates. Page will take over for outgoing board member Donna Waugh-Robinson.
At the eastern end of the county, incumbent Jim Hopkins faced some opposition from write-in candidate Alexis Gray for the District 5 school board seat. With 1,910 votes, or 90.69 percent, Hopkins will keep his seat for a second term. Write-in candidates received 196 votes, or 9.30 percent, though Tuesday night, it was not clear how many of those were Gray's.
Late Tuesday night, Hopkins said he was "overwhelmed" by the election results.
"I'm very pleased with the results," he said. "With 1,900 votes, I thought I deserved the seat and now the voters [have said it]."
Hopkins said he believed it's his four-year track record that led him to the win.
"People voting have four years of my writing," he said. "That's hard to go against unless they're not happy with what I've done."
Hopkins said he's already thinking about goals for the next four years.
"We need to get the mothballed school open and do something about teacher salaries," he said. "[Also,] with the overcrowding at Orange County High School, we need to be laying the groundwork for a high school in the eastern end of the county."
Gray was unavailable for comment Tuesday night.
Page, who has two children in Orange County Public Schools, said she feels like she has a vested interest in the board.
"I believe in the board we have and think it's a unified board. I'd like to see its great work continue. Also, I'd like to see my children and everyone's children get the best education they can and deserve.
Carter thanked the District 3 residents who sent her back to the board for another term.
"I am so pleased I have the confidence of the people of District 3," she said Tuesday night. "I'll continue to always put children first."