Qualifying ends: Kristen Morrissey will not seek reelection to school board

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Kristen Morrissey, who served for 12 years on the Forsyth County Board of Education was a no-show as qualifying for the May 24 General Primary Election ended at noon today (Mar. 11).

Morrissey served as chairman of the Board during a turbulent 2021 when it was bombarded by complaints from parents, state legislators and conservative groups like No Left Turn in Education, and Truth in Education that claimed the School System indoctrinated students with dangerous social ideologies.

With Morrissey out, that leaves Mike Valdes, a construction engineer and chairman of No-Left Turn in Education Georgia, and Erin Knight, a retired school teacher and independent reading specialist, to campaign for the Republication nomination for the District 5 seat. Elaine Padgett is the lone Democrat to qualify in District 5.

The other school board incumbent Republican Wes McCall qualified earlier this week and will face Republican Dennis Schiedt. Janna Kregoski is the only Democrat who will campaign for the office.

At noon on Friday Mar. 11, the Georgia Secretary of State list of qualified candidates includes:

STATE SENATE DIST. 27

Brent Binion (D) learning architect

Greg Dolezal (R) (I) small business owner

 STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DIST. 24

Carter Barrett (R) banker

Sheri Smallwood Gilligan (R) (I) former U.S. Intelligence analyst

Ed Solly (R) consultant

Sydney Walker (D) homemaker

STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DIST. 27

Lee Hawkins (R) (I) dentist

STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DIST. 28

Brent Cox (R) businessman

Donald Lannom (R) consultant

John Luchetti (R) business owner

Blake McClellan (R) entrepreneur

Tim Short (R) pharmacist

Julie Tressler (R) real estate

Claudia Wood (D) education director

 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DIST 1

Kerry Hill (R) IT specialist

Tim Huffine (R) retired

BOARD OF EDUCATION DIST. 1

Janna Kregoski (D) project manager

Wes McCall (R) (I) emergency manager

Dennis Scheidt (R) retired

BOARD OF EDUCATION DIST. 5

Erin Knight (R) independent reading specialist

Mike Valdes (R) construction engineer

Elaine Padgett (D) nurse

JUDGE STATE COURT OF FORSYTH

James Dunn

Rupal Vaishnav

SOLICITOR GENERAL

Bill Finch (R) (I)