Newcastle resident Casey Kreger had more votes in the Tuesday, April 7 election than incumbent school board member Ronald R. Lock. Kreger will be seated as the new member of the Board of Education.
The voting for the Newcastle School Board election may have set a record, as only 1.6% of the eligible voters took part in making the decision. Out of a possible 9,493 voters, only 157 participated on election day. This is just more than 1.6% of the electorate.
Kreger had 89 votes to Lock’s 68. Percentage-wise, Kreger took 56.59% of the vote compared to Lock’s 43.31%.
Kreger is the Senior Director of Housing and Residence Life at Oklahoma City University. He has more than 16-years of experience in higher education. He said he wants to help the District continue to grow in a way that supports students, staff and families while keeping decisions student-focused.
Kreger said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Newcastle in this role. I was not sure how the election was going to turn out. Throughout the process, I tried doing what I felt was right, and that included voting for the other candidate in the race as well. For me, this was never about winning; it was about having the opportunity to serve and make an impact within our local school district.
“Now that the election is behind us, my focus is simple: to show up, listen, and do the work. Our schools are im- portant to so many families, including mine, and I do not take the responsibility lightly. I am looking forward to learning from those already serving, working alongside district leadership and staff, and making thoughtful decisions that support our students.
ELECTION: Bridwell wins MATC seat by 62% of vote
“I also want to recognize Ron for the work he has done in serving our schools and community. That level of commitment matters, and I respect the time and effort he has given. I want to thank everyone who participated and voted. I hope to be someone our community feels comfortable talking to, asking questions of, and sharing concerns with.”
He continued, “I am excited to get started and to serve in a way that supports our students, families, and the future of our schools.”
The Mid-America Technology Center Board of Education seat was won by challenger Bruce Bridwell. He beat incumbent Michael Dillinger by votes of 550-338, garnering almost 62% of the vote.
Bridwell is retired from Mid-America Technology Center with 30-years experience working in the Career Tech system. He served for 17 years on the Washington Public Schools’ Board of Education.
Bridwell said he would be taking ideas from the community and working closely with the administration to further ideas and goals for Mid-America.
