In race for Fresno County Superintendent, Cantwell-Copher poised for victory
Michele Cantwell-Copher appeared poised for a landslide victory following Tuesday night’s election, capturing 64.3% of the vote in the race to become the next Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.
Cantwell-Copher currently serves as assistant superintendent in the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools under Jim Yovino, who is retiring at the end of the year.
Cantwell-Copher, who is in charge of educational leadership and development, is vying for the position against two other educators: Raisin City Elementary dual-immersion teacher and Firebaugh-Las Deltas School District board member Eliseo Gamino and 30-year educator Daren Miller who has classroom, administrative and board experience.
The county superintendent’s office has 1,500 employees, a $359 million budget, and operates programs and services for 205,500 Fresno County students across 32 school districts — the districts that your children attend.
A key role of the position is to ensure those districts are fiscally responsible and following state and federal laws.
Of 498,698 votes, 76,241 or 15.3% of Fresno County voters cast their ballots in the primary election. Of those voters, 65,185 voted in the county superintendent race.
To be elected Fresno County’s Superintendent of Schools, Cantwell-Copher, Gamino, or Miler had to receive 51% of the vote.
During the campaign, each candidate visited school boards across the Central Valley and engaged with Fresno County stakeholders during the campaign.
On election day, Cantwell-Copher was feeling encouraged by the community’s support; Gamino answered community members’ questions as they called; and Miller spent much of his day at Glacier Point Middle School working at the school carnival.
Such engagement is an integral part of the “influential” job they sought, they said in an interview with The Fresno Bee.
The governor visits the 58 county superintendents because “it’s a more efficient way” to hear from the 1,025 superintendents across California, Cantwell-Copher said.
“If I didn’t think I could impact change as the future Fresno County Superintendent of Schools to improve the lives of children and families in Fresno County, I wouldn’t sign up for the job,” she said.
And she said she wouldn’t let the community down if voters elected her.
Miller and Cantwell-Copher couldn’t be immediately reached for comment on election night.
But Gamino said the campaign had raised important issues for local schools.
Gamino said he is ready to work with the county superintendent to address those issues, including campus safety, the needs and services for students with special needs, and equity for rural students being bused miles to get their education.
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 8:56 PM.
