DANVILLE, AR --
The five Danville school board members vote on new officers for the upcoming year. Quite the irony because the five didn't even vote for themselves in last week's school board election.In fact, not one single person in the town cast a vote to elect the people who'll decide on what happens in the schools.
"I was out of state. I can't speak for the others but I wasn't here to cast a vote," said Robert Redfern, the school board's newly-elected president.
So Yell County quorum court members called a special meeting just to appoint the school leaders.
"We usually have a great turnout but I just think it goes back to the misunderstanding," Yell County Judge Mark Thone said.
Thone said any other time, the unopposed candidates -- three of whom are incumbents -- would have automatically taken office. But because of new census numbers and redistricting, everyone needed at least one vote to serve.
County leaders say the voters may have been confused, too, thinking they didn't need to vote because all the candidates ran unopposed. Plus, the courthouse was the only polling place, not like in other elections where several precincts are open.
Danville School Superintendent Mike Hernandez seemed unfazed by it, and doesn't believe it's a sign of what to expect.
"I think the fact that we didn't have voter turnout means they're pretty happy with what we presented out there," Hernandez said.
