Three Union County school board seats will have new occupants after the Nov. 3 election, and voters in the Waxhaws area will help decide who fills them.

Board Chair Jimmy Bention Sr., a Republican, declined to seek re-election, opening his at-large seat. District 4 member Sandra Greene left her seat to run at large but lost in the primary. Republican Kathy Heintel also declined to run again in District 6. The departures guarantee at least three new faces on a board that holds an 8-1 Republican majority, WFAE reported.

Democrats see an opening to cut into that majority across all three races.

At-large: Robinson vs. Stadler

Republican Linda Robinson, who defeated Greene in the primary, faces Democrat Alexis Stadler for Bention's vacant at-large seat.

Robinson is a retired math teacher who helped open Porter Ridge High School in 2005 as math department chair and served as testing coordinator before retiring in 2017, according to her campaign website. She moved to Union County in 2002 and holds a master's degree in education with a focus on curriculum and instruction.

Stadler, a Waxhaw resident, spent seven years as a school counselor and 504 coordinator before earning a clinical mental health counseling associate license and joining a private practice, according to her campaign website. She is a PTO member at Waxhaw Elementary and co-leads a local Girl Scout troop.

District 4 and District 6

Greene's departure left District 4 open. Democrat Brittany Cabuno faces Republican Stephen Smith.

In District 6, Republican Brandi Smith runs against Democrat Evan Metaxatos for Heintel's open seat.

In District 3, incumbent Republican Barry Tucker is running unopposed, according to WFAE.

Budget fight looms over races

The new board members will inherit an ongoing standoff with the Union County Board of Commissioners. The dispute dates to 2025, when the two bodies clashed over teacher salary supplements, according to WFAE.

During the most recent budget cycle, commissioners offered the school district approximately $3.8 million in additional local funding earmarked for teacher and teacher assistant supplements, according to Conservative Redwall, a local blog that covered the dispute. Commissioners wanted the board to sign an interlocal agreement directing the money only to classroom teachers and aides.

The school board rejected the agreement. Board members accused commissioners of a lack of trust, WFAE reported. The board then approved its own compensation plan that included increases for teachers and teacher assistants, according to Conservative Redwall.

The disagreement stemmed partly from differing definitions of "teacher supplement." At a June 3 joint meeting, UCPS leadership explained that the term "certified staff" has historically included nurses, psychologists, counselors, social workers and other positions paid on the certified scale, according to Conservative Redwall.

Residents questioned cuts to media coordinator and crossing guard positions during the budget process, WFAE reported.

District posts top state test scores

The budget tension comes as UCPS posted its highest-ever academic results. The district led the state in End-of-Grade and End-of-Course proficiency for the second consecutive year, with 73.8% of students scoring proficient compared to a 59.2% state average, according to the Charlotte Weekly. UCPS staff presented the data at the Sept. 2 board meeting.

Superintendent Andrew Houlihan said the district had "…made a 10.8 percentage point increase over the last five years and have surpassed pre-pandemic test scores."

The district's 2026 graduation rate was 93.4%, the highest among the state's 12 largest districts, the Charlotte Weekly reported.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.