October 19, 2025
From Mark Hensen, Pickerington Board of Education Member
This represents my views and does not necessarily reflect those of the PLSD Board of Education (BOE) or my colleagues. I’m speaking for myself, NOT the board.
In this election, two main factors might help sustain the ineffective status quo on our board. Both explain why the status quo has persisted for so long. One is low voter turnout, and the other is vote splitting. This post focuses on vote splitting.
Vote splitting happens when many candidates compete for a few seats. For example, four years ago, eight candidates ran for three BOE seats. This year, there are seven candidates for three spots.
In 2021, the three winners received a total of 13,427 votes, while the other five candidates collectively gained 14,220 votes. Although this was more than enough to secure a win, the vote splitting among these five candidates led to all of them losing.
Because all five non-status quo candidates lost, the ineffective status quo persisted.
The graphic illustrates how the 2021 election for PLSD BOE candidates might have differed with only six candidates total. As you’ll note, two of the non-status quo candidates could have potentially won instead of none. This is because each of them could have gained an extra 1,700+ votes if the race had only six candidates.
Of course, that year, no one withdrew from the race to even out the numbers and support the remaining non-status quo candidates, and we ended up with the status quo.
Together, the Pickerington Education Association (PEA) and the Pickerington Support Staff Association (PSSA) represent more than 1,000 PLSD staff members.
The three candidates endorsed or recommended by the PEA and PSSA in this election—Ryan Holstine, Brooke LaGrasso, and Charles Newman—are best positioned to challenge the status quo.
Without a substantial increase in voter turnout, this vote-splitting dynamic could likely maintain an ineffective status quo on our board.
To be more direct, past vote splitting has caused significant consequences for our students, our staff, and our district.
- Class sizes too large – problems for students & staff
- Lack of all-day kindergarten
- Unnecessary $ spent on executive compensation
- Lagging compensation for the rest of our staff
- Continuing lack of new revenue on the ballot
- Lack of transparency, communication, and engagement
- Staff vote of no-confidence in the BOE
Other letters in Hensen’s series discussing the 2025 Pickerington School Board Election:
