Rock Hill region schools face big decisions. Three dozen candidates want to make them

Candidate filing closed Thursday for nonpartisan school board positions across the Rock Hill region, as dozens of people signed on to lead area schools . Only about half of them will get that opportunity.

There are 39 candidates for 21 school board seats across York, Lancaster and Chester counties.

Eight candidates will win, pending something unusual like a write-in candidacy, via unopposed races. All but one of the eight open seats in the Rock Hill and Fort Mill school districts has three or more candidates.

Campaigns come at critical times for area schools. Four of six districts already held or will hold a bond referendum this year to ask voters for money to build new schools. Another, in Clover, is working off a bond passed two years ago that will help open three new schools in 2026.

Here’s a look at which candidates filed across the region for the Nov. 5 general election:

How can Rock Hill area schools fit all these new students? Here’s $1.4B worth of answers

Rock Hill

Rock Hill has three district and two at-large seats on the ballot. All of them are contested, including a Seat 3 race that includes two current board members.

▪ Seat 1: Montrio Belton, incumbent Patrice Reid Cherry and Matt Hiers

▪ Seat 3: At-large seat incumbent James Burns, Sonya Burns, Dist. 3 incumbent Mildred Douglas

▪ Seat 5: Corree Carelock, incumbent Windy Cole, Melissa Harris

▪ At-Large: Jennifer Hutchinson, Fred Jordan

▪ At-Large (unexpired term): Lacy Daniel, At-Large incumbent Bryan McAlinden, Kevin Thompson

Fort Mill

Fort Mill has three seats open, and any voter in the district can choose up to three candidates. All seats are at-large. Six candidates, including three incumbents, filed.

▪ At-large: Ellen Abramo, incumbent Anthony Boddie, Denise Casey, incumbent Scott Frattaroli, Michelle Hoffman, incumbent Kristy Spears

Clover

Three seats are on the ballot in Clover. Two are district seats and one is at-large. At least one position will have a new member, since no incumbent is running.

▪ Seat 3: Incumbent Jessica Cody

▪ Seat 4: Nataly Burgio, Kenda Cook

▪ At-large: Kevin Johnson, incumbent Tracy Stiff

York

Only one of four open seats in York is contested, so two incumbents and a newcomer will assume spots there.

▪ Seat 1: Incumbent Wade Anderson

▪ Seat 3: Delandris Jones, incumbent Chris Revels

▪ Seat 5: Thomas Wilkerson

▪ At-Large: Incumbent Scott Childers

Lancaster County

Lancaster County will keep one incumbent but lose two long-time board members in Chairman Brad Small and Margaret Gamble. Neither filed for re-election.

▪ Dist. 2: Incumbent Tyrom Faulkner

▪ Dist. 4: Revery “Rev” Johnson

▪ Dist. 6: Olivia McIsaac Hann, Jeanna Rathel-White, Keith Snipes

Chester County

Two incumbents and a newcomer will fill three Chester County seats. One one of those races is contested.

▪ Dist. 1: Delores Ann Crockett, Tara Thomas

▪ Dist. 2: Incumbent Brenda Fort

▪ Dist. 5: Incumbent Nakia Houston White