Three file for Hoke Board of Education

By Jason Beck
Staff Writer

Filing is continuing for three open seats on the Hoke Board of Education, and some candidates have already placed their name on the ballot.
There are three open seats this year on the board of education, the seats of chairwoman Rosa MacAllister-McRae, Hank Richards and Tom Pilkington.
As of Tuesday, only MacAllister-McRae and Pilkington have filed to run for office again this November. Also filing is John Harry, who ran for a board seat about 10 years ago.
Pilkington’s latest bid for a seat comes after a defeat at the hands of current board member Della Maynor-Bowen last November. However, Russell Smith resigned from his seat earlier this year, and Pilkington was appointed in his place. As per the rules, Pilkington must run again to keep the seat.
He said he was planning on making another bid for school board, whether he was appointed to the empty seat or not.
“I was thinking about it,” Pilkington said. “If elected I’ll serve the best I can, if not I wish whoever does (get elected) the best.”
Neither Harry nor MacAllister-McRae could be reached for comment by press time. Filing ends on August 4 at noon.