Kijun Times

Republican candidates were winning two open seats formerly held by Democrats on the State Board of Education, according to unofficial results Wednesday.

GOP candidates former state Rep. Tom McMillin and Whitmore Lake GOP activist Nicolette Snyder were leading the polls Wednesday morning, with 79 of Michigan’s 83 counties reporting.

McMillin and Snyder had 30 percent and 29 percent of the vote respectively, with 1.1 million votes tallied Wednesday morning.

Democratic State Board President John Austin, who sought to hold his seat, had 16 percent of the vote.

Republicans and Democrats traditionally compete for the slots that carry eight-year terms. The board is responsible for educational leadership in Michigan, but the state Legislature sets most education policy for the state’s 1.5 million public school students through the passage of laws and the school budget.

While Austin ran as an incumbent, a vacancy was created when longtime Democratic board member and educator Kathleen Straus decided not to seek re-election.