EVERETT — The top two candidates in three Northshore school board primary races are set to move on to the general election.
Carson Sanderson and Arun Sharma held early leads for District 1. Both will advance to the general election.
Sanderson led with 55% of the vote. In her campaign, she highlighted her experience volunteering throughout the district as a parent, serving on multiple PTAs and parent councils. She prioritized addressing overcrowding in schools by working with Snohomish County leaders and bringing in community partners to help balance the district’s budget.
Sharma, a technical fellow at Boeing, secured the second spot with 30% of the vote. He has two children who graduated from Northshore. His campaign focused on supporting multiple types of learning, advocating for culturally responsible teaching and working with the state to increase funding for the district.
Brian Travis, an accountant, trailed with 15% of the vote. He does not have children and was homeschooled until college. His campaign focused on supporting practical education and addressing large class sizes. He also advocated for the district to take a neutral stance on “adult issues,” including LGBTQ+ education and diversity, equity and inclusion.
District 1 covers the northern portion of Northshore School District, including parts of Bothell East and Clearview.
As of Tuesday, Sharma was far ahead in campaign contributions with $21,428 raised, according to campaign filings. Sanderson raised $6,297. Travis opted for a mini reporting campaign, so he was not required to report campaign contributions unless they exceeded $7,000.
From left, Hayes, Sehaj Dhaliwal and JoAnn Tolentino.
Longtime incumbent Sandy Hayes secured a spot in the general election with a sizeable lead. JoAnn Tolentino took the second spot.
Hayes has served on the school board since 2009. She led with 58% of the vote. With two open seats on the board, two members in their first term and a new superintendent, Hayes decided to seek another term to keep some experience on the board, she said in a May interview with The Daily Herald. Her campaign focused on advocating for funding at the state level and preparing students for an increasingly tech-driven future.
Tolentino, a Northshore grandparent, was in second with 27% of the vote. In her campaign, she focused on prioritizing academics to address declining enrollment and eliminating unnecessary spending. She also said she would support a policy banning transgender girls from playing in girls sports. In June, community members found social media posts that indicated Tolentino was at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection in 2021. In a statement to The Daily Herald, she confirmed she was in attendance that day and said she did not enter the Capitol building.
Sehaj Dhaliwal, a recent University of Washington graduate and former Northshore student, trailed with 15% of the vote. Her campaign prioritized student-focused funding, fiscal responsibility, school safety and amplifying young voices.
District 4 covers the central portion of Northshore, including some parts of southern Bothell and eastern Woodinville.
Although Tolentino opted for a mini reporting campaign, she reported $1,070 in contributions as of Tuesday, according to campaign filings. Hayes also opted for mini reporting. Dhaliwal had not reported any campaign contributions and filed as a full reporting campaign.
From left, Kimberlee Kelly, Holly Muenchow and Lynda Schram are vying for an open District 5 seat on the Northshore school board.
Kimberlee Kelly and Lynda Schram held early leads for District 5, with both candidates advancing to the general election.
Kelly, an outdoor preschool director, led with 64% of votes. She moved to Cottage Lake in 2024 and is a parent of a future Northshore student. In her campaign, she focused on advocating for more state funding and a levy lid lift, redrawing the district’s boundaries to address large class sizes, and preserving academic freedom.
Schram was in second with 24% of the vote. A large focus of her campaign was banning transgender girls from playing in girls sports. She has also said the state spends too much on public schools and advocated against “rubber stamping” new curriculum. Schram is an administrator for the King County Moms for Liberty Facebook group. Moms for Liberty is a national conservative nonprofit that has advocated for banning books and against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and COVID-19 safety measures in schools.
Holly Muenchow, a Northshore parent and community organizer, trailed with 12% of the vote. She ran on engaging in creative community partnerships, expanding inclusionary practices, and advocating for levies and bonds to fund livable wages and adequate classroom resources.
District 5 covers the eastern portion of the Northshore School District, including parts of Woodinville and Cottage Lake and a small section of Snohomish County near Crystal Lake.
As of Tuesday, Kelly raised $2,600 in campaign contributions. Muenchow raised $1,253 and Schram raised $200.
Northshore school board members do not receive compensation. The primary election results will be certified Aug. 19. The general election is Nov. 4.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
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