EDITORIAL: Make sure to vote in school board elections

We hope that all registered voters within Florence School District 3 will take the time Tuesday to cast their ballots in the district’s Board of Trustees elections.

The polls will be open all day, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., so plan a time either before or after work, picking the children up from school, etc. and make sure you visit your polling place.

Three candidates for the board have no opposition in the upcoming election, while one incumbent will face a challenger.

Even with the number of uncontested elections, it’s still crucial for voters to get out and have their say. This has been a tough year of budgeting for the school district, and things look like they’ll only be growing more difficult.

Regardless of your take on the candidates, it’s important to get out and vote for the people you think are most capable of making sound decisions regarding the district’s budget and other issues that crop up on a regular basis.

The filing period ended April 1 for the board’s general election. Here’s a quick look at the candidates who are vying to join the school board or maintain the seats they already hold.

Martin Jackson is the only candidate for Seat 2, which is the Coward district and has one year remaining on the term since Debbie Matthews resigned.

Incumbents Bernard McIntosh (Seat 4B) and Paula Morris (Seat 6) are running with no opposition. McIntosh, the board’s vice chairman, has served on the board of trustees since 1997 and Morris has served since 2003, according to the district’s Web site.

In the Seat 7B election, Barbara Bryant will face board Chairman Richard Cook, who has served on the board since 1994, according to the district’s Web site.

Voters and parents also should remember the citizens meeting, which will follow the elections at 7:30 p.m. in the Lake City High School Athletic Center.