Tuck-Ponder, Behrend and Durbin Win Princeton BOE Race

PRINCETON, NJ – More than two weeks after Election Day, Mercer County finalized the results in the 2020 elections on Nov. 20 night.

According to the official results, Michele Tuck-Ponder, Beth Behrend and Jean Y. Durbin have won seats on the Princeton Board of Education.

Here are the certified results:

• Michele Tuck-Ponder - 5,697
• Beth Behrend - 5,490
• Jean Durbin - 4,522
• Adam Bierman - 3,280
• Paul M Johnson - 3,129
• Karen Lemon - 2,887
• William Hare – 2,585
• Hendricks Davis - 1,601

This election cycle, eight candidates were vying for three open seats on the school board. Tuck-Ponder and Behrend are incumbents, and Durbin a newcomer.

Tuck-Ponder who has held various offices over the past 30 years, said she wants to ensure all students get equal and excellent education without putting burden on taxpayer. "For the past three years, I have used my voice and my vote on the Board of Education to highlight and address issues of inequity in our schools," she told Patch before the election.

For Behrend, who currently serves as board president, this win will see her move ahead with plans to find a permanent superintendent and seek further spending reduction.

"I have a proven track record on the job — we've made real progress for our kids over the past two years," she said prior to the election.

Durbin, who is a newcomer, ran on a platform of reflecting on the community’s racial diversity, to ensure “that every child feels welcomed and known.” She said she was keen to “implement measurable steps to close the achievement and opportunity gaps.”

This year's general election took place mostly by mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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