FORT SMITH, Arkansas — With just 1,617 votes cast, incumbent Fort Smith School Board member Bill Haneswoth lost his reelection bid to Matt Blaylock.
Blaylock, president of Blaylock Heating & Air Conditioning & Plumbing Services, captured 63.4%, or 1,027 votes.
Hanesworth, who is the board president, and Blaylock were the only contested race – an At-Large position – of the three seats up for election in Tuesday’s (May 18) school elections.
The other positions up for reelection were Wade Gilkey (Zone 1) and Yvonne Keaton-Martin (Zone 4).
No opponent filed to run against Keaton-Martin, who was first elected in 2003. Gilkey did not seek reelection, and Troy Eckelhoff was the only candidate to file for the Zone 1 seat.
A graduate of Northside High School, Eckelhoff is program director and music director at KTCS 99.9 radio in Fort Smith.
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