Retired teacher Patti Truesdell was ahead in a race for the Kalifornsky seat on the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education as of 9 p.m. Tuesday night, according to unofficial election results.

Truesdell brought in 230 votes or 40% of the vote. Susan Lockwood, also a retired educator, took 200 votes in or 35% of the vote. Dan Castimore, who has served on the school board in the Kalifornsky seat for the last six consecutive years, had 136 votes or 23% of the vote.

There were six write-in votes.

“I’m excited,” Truesdell said Tuesday night of the unofficial results. “I was trying to not get my hopes too high, but the closer it got the more excited I got about the challenge. I was touched by all the people pulling for me. It makes me proud.”

Truesdell said Castimore deserves a lot of credit for the work he’s done with the board over the years.

On Tuesday night, Lockwood said the unofficial results were nervewracking.

“We’ll see what happens,” she said.

On the southern peninsula, John “Zen” Kelly, who ran unopposed, will be serving another term in his seat on the school board. On the eastern peninsula, Martha Fleming also ran unopposed and will be replacing former school board member Lynn Hohl.

Reach Brian Mazurek at bmazurek@peninsulaclarion.com.