Challenger Crushes Incumbent to Win 1-Year Board of Education Term

Three incumbents were re-elected to the Board of Education and a challenger defeated an incumbent for an unexpired term.

Mitchell Badiner, Robert Ceberio, and Allan Mordkoff defeated Christian Smith, the lone challenger. Badiner received 5,894 votes, Ceberio 5,674, and Mordkoff 4,912. Smith received 4,438.They will serve three-year terms. They ran together with fellow incumbent Rogger Ortiz.

Challenger Cathy Kazan crushed Ortiz 4,885 votes to 3,004.

The results do not include provisional and absentee ballots.

Kazan will serve a one-year unexpired term. Ortiz was appointed to replace former trustee Robyn Kingston. Kingston resigned in January.

"I humbly thank everyone who voted," Kazan said. "I promise to do my best to serve my community well."

This is the second time Kazan has run for a board seat. She ran for a three-year seat last year and lost.

The implementation of a new grading system for high school freshmen and the increasing amount of school taxes residents have to pay were hot-button issues this election season.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.