Unofficial election results from the Hays County Elections Office show candidates Michael Sanchez and Will McManus, running for Hays CISD board of trustees District 3 and at-large seats, respectively, are leading.

Three candidates are running for the single-member District 3 seat. Candidates Bert Bronaugh, Valerie Hopkins and Michael Sanchez have received 54 votes, or 30 percent; 41 votes, or 22.78 percent, and 78 votes, or 44.33 percent, respectively.

In March, Alejandro Correa withdrew his candidacy for the Hays CISD board of trustees District 3 position. Even though he withdrew his name was still on the ballot, and he received 7 votes or 3.89 percent.

For the at-large seat, three candidates are also running. Candidates McManus, Susan Gray and Michelle Cohen have received 750 votes, or 58.18 percent; 251 votes, or 19.47 percent, and 288 votes, or 22.34 percent, respectively.

There was a 2.65 percent voter turn-out for this election.

Winning the most votes, Sanchez ran his platform on wanting to work on enhancing communication and collaboration among all HCISD stakeholders and to enhance the curriculum in underperforming schools.

"I'm just overjoyed. I'm excited that the people from my district believe that I have the ability to do the job," Sanchez said. "The first thing I'm going to do is meet with the superintendent and ask him about the conditions of the school in my district in terms of student performance."

Outvoted from his seat, Bronaugh has served on the HCISD board of trustees for two terms. During his tenure, he and his fellow trustees passed a $250 million bond package to build three new schools and update several campus facilities, touted the success of the district's career and technical education program, and approved the hiring of the district's new superintendent, Eric Wright.

Hopkins ran her platform on wanting equity among schools and seeing improved academic results.

Both Bronaugh and Hopkins were unavailable for comment.

McManus ran his platform on improving student outcomes, fiscal discipline and community engagement. Currently serving as the chairman of the Facility and Bond Oversight Committee, McManus said in his interview with Community Impact Newspaper that he wanted to see the district spend and ask for money responsibly in order to give the maximum positive impact on the educational opportunities for the students.

With unofficial results in, McManus said he is feeling good and ready to get started.

"I am confident the election day results will show that voters want me as part of the board," he said. "I want to thank the voters, and I look forward to doing great thing with Hays CISD."

Cohen, who follows McManus second in votes, ran her platform on pushing for safer schools and equal academic opportunities for students

Cohen was unavailable for comment.

Gray, who trails behind McManus and Cohen in votes, ran her platform on wanting to ensure all students are successful on all campuses, which includes parental involvement, teacher engagement and child-centered administrators.

She said even though she did not win her goals for the district have not changed.

"I have a deep passion for kids being able to read on grade level," Gray said. "Ensuring that happens I would talk to people and possibly talk to the principals about what are we doing to make sure kids are reading on grade level."

If elected, each school board trustee serves three-year staggered terms.

The polls closed at 7 p.m. All vote totals are unofficial until canvassed. Community Impact Newspaper will update this story throughout the night.

According to Public Information Officer Tim Savoy, HCISD elects school board members by plurality, not majority. This means the candidate with the most votes in a particular race wins. There are no runoff elections for HD trustee seats.