Incumbent leads race to head Fresno County schools while former Clovis leader trails
As results began pouring in on Tuesday night, incumbent Michele Cantwell-Copher held the lead in the primary race for Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.
As of 8:20 p.m. Tuesday, Cantwell-Copher had nearly 44 percent of votes. Eimear O’Brien holds the second-most votes at 29 percent, while Johnny Alvarado has nearly 27 percent of votes.
If someone gets more than 50 percent of the vote, they win the seat. If not, then the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election in November.
Cantwell-Copher was elected as the chief of Fresno County schools in June 2022.
O’Brien served as the superintendent of Clovis Unified from 2017 to 2023, and Alvarado has worked at seven different districts across Fresno County.
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools oversees the local office of education and 31 school districts across the county.
Meanwhile, the state superintendent of public instruction heads the California Department of Education and oversees the state’s public education system.
