Taylor, Garvey advance in school board race

By Emily Richmond

Published Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008 | 10:52 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008 | 11:13 p.m.

Teacher and labor organizer Ron Taylor and longtime volunteer Chris Garvey will advance to the November ballot in the District B race for the Clark County School Board.

With 82 percent of precincts reporting, incumbent Ruth Johnson was actually the top vote-getter, with just under 29 percent. But she has been deemed ineligible for a fourth term by a recent Nevada Supreme Court ruling on term limits.

Taylor had nearly 24 percent and Garvey just over 21 percent.

Taylor credited his strong finish to the support of voters in the rural communities of Mesquite and Moapa Valley, which are included in District B.

“Those people want a voice,” said Taylor, who worked on Teamsters Local 14’s unsuccessful campaign to represent the district’s teachers. “They’re 80 miles out of town and the everyone forgets they’re there. They need their own school district, or at least their own (School Board) trustee.”

Garvey said Tuesday she was grateful to her supporters and planned to spend the next few weeks walking the neighborhoods of District B, winning over the votes she didn't get in the primary. That's in line with her campaign's central theme of coalition building, she said.

"We have to stay focused and spread the word, so we can start making a difference for our families," Garvey said.

Mike Noland, a retired School District building engineer, had nearly 17 percent of the vote. Johnson threw her support to Gaya Guymon, a longtime school volunteer who has served on the district’s zoning and bond oversight committee. Guyman was in last place, with about 10 percent of the vote.