By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
A Piedmont school board member has announced he will not seek reelection, and candidates who wish to replace him on the board can soon file.
The seat held by Steven Cox Piedmont School Board Ward 4 is up for election in 2024. The filing period opens Monday, Dec. 4 and ends Wednesday, Dec. 6 at the Canadian County Election Board office in El Reno.
School board members serve five year terms in Piedmont.
Cox has been on the school board since 2014.
“I have served the students, staff, and community of the Piedmont School District for nearly ten years. I ran unopposed in 2014 and was honored to be elected by the voters in 2019. I am grateful that the community trusted me to look out for their interest in the school district,” Cox wrote in a statement to the Piedmont-Surrey Gazette. “I have enjoyed every part of being a school board member. With that said, I will not be signing up for a third term.”
Cox said he will support another candidate, Neal Cast.
“I know that Neal Cast is going to sign up as a candidate. I have known Neal for several years and I believe he will make a great addition to the school board. I will be supporting his candidacy in any way that I can,” Cox wrote in the statement.
Other current board members include Ward 1, President Layne Jones, whose term expires in 2026; Vice President Greg Duffy, Ward 3, whose term expires in 2028; Cox, whose term expires in 2024; Deputy Clerk, Ward 2, whose term expires in 2027 and member Derek Jones, whose term expires in 2025.
In April 2023 the seat held by Greg Duffy was up for election. Duffy was the only candidate to file. Also in April, Derek Jones was the only candidate to file for the Ward 5 seat in a special election to fill that position.
For the Ward 4 seat, if more than two candidates file for the seat the primary election date will be Tuesday, Feb. 13. A general election date is Tuesday, April 2, 2024.
The Canadian County Election Board is located at 200 S. Bickford Ave. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and assistants can be reached by calling 405 422-2422.
