State Board of Education District 5 includes nine full counties—Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Comal, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall and Llano—and portions of three others. Northern Bexar (roughly north of Interstate 410), southern Travis (everything south of the Colorado River) and most of Bell County. To confirm that you are a resident of District 5, click here.
Fifty-one independent school districts are in District 5, in whole or in part. With a population approaching two million and over half a million children, public education is a vital concern of most residents.
Though Republicans have held the District 5 seat since the 90s, several factors favor the election of a sensible Democrat in 2010, including the extremism of the incumbent, Ken Mercer, who defeated a more moderate Republican four years ago with help from private-school-voucher booster James Leininger.
The district was radically reshaped by the legislature in 2001, when Hays, Caldwell and southern Travis Counties were removed from a long-time Democratic district and added to District 5. These are some of the fastest-growing counties in the State and have been voting increasingly for Democratic candidates. In recent years, several Democrats running statewide have won the support of about 45% of the district’s voters without particularly concentrating on the district.
Rebecca Bell-Metereau is the Democratic candidate best able to rescue the district from Ken Mercer’s extremism. Rebecca is an award-winning professor of English and film who has taught hundreds of future teachers. She’s a mom whose two adult daughters graduated from San Marcos public schools. She also volunteered in the schools and community. Put Rebecca in a roomful of mothers who are themselves concerned about their children’s educations, and you’ll wind up with the majority becoming Rebecca Bell-Metereau supporters regardless of usual party leanings.
Unlike the perennial candidates who run just to have their name on the ballot, Rebecca is dedicated to winning and working hard at it. To help Rebecca get her name out in this vast area, please let us know of your support and contact us for ideas about what you can do to spread the word among your friends, neighbors and co-workers.
