Battle Ground Public Schools

Director Positions on Aug. 3 Primary Ballot

July 21, 2021

Two Battle Ground school board seats are on the Aug. 3 primary election ballot. This marks the first time in six years that a school board race in Battle Ground has attracted enough candidates to appear on the primary ballot. The two candidates with the most votes in the August primary will go on to the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

In the primary election, four candidates are running for the District 1 director seat currently held by Mary Snitily, who was appointed last March to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Monty Anderson. Snitily is running in the primary, along with Devin Scroggins, Chloe Seppala and John Siemssen, Sr. 

Three people also filed to run for the open District 3 seat currently held by Troy McCoy. The candidates include Ted Champine, Tori Denfeld and Diane Langan, though Denfeld noted in her voter’s pamphlet statement that she would be unable to fulfill her duties if elected, effectively withdrawing from the race.

Full statements from the majority of candidates on the ballot are available in the voter’s pamphlet mailed to households, or online at the Clark County Auditor’s website.

About the Board of Directors

Battle Ground Public Schools is governed by a five-person elected Board of Directors. Directors serve four-year terms. The director positions are divided so that no more than three of them have terms that expire in a single election year, which ensures experience and continuity on the board.

Each director resides in one of five geographic areas (called districts) of the 271-square-mile school district. In both primary and general elections, all registered voters in the school district are eligible to vote in all of the races on that year’s ballot. Under state law, the office of school board director is nonpartisan. 

Board members help to shape the district by reviewing, revising and adopting new district policies; establishing and overseeing the budget; approving administrative hiring and salaries; setting a vision and strategic goals as well as monitoring progress towards those goals; and serving as representatives in the community.

Voter registration and ballot deadlines

If you have not yet received a ballot in the mail, you are urged to contact the Clark County Elections Office at (564) 397-2345 for a replacement. The last day to register or update your voter registration online is Monday, July 26, though registrations can be made or changed in person up to 8 p.m. on election night. A list of ballot drop boxes is available online at the county website.