Siddiqui, Giles and Dyer lead school board race

Howard County

Election 2008

Current members Janet Siddiqui and Ellen Flynn Giles and newcomer Allen Dyer led a field of six candidates vying for three open seats on the Howard County Board of Education during early returns last night.

With more than a third of precincts reporting, Siddiqui, a pediatrician from Clarksville, led with more than 18,000 votes. Giles, the board's vice chairman, was second, and Dyer, an attorney from Ellicott City who mounted an unsuccessful school board attempt in 2006, was close behind.

Community activist Diane Butler was in fourth place.

Siddiqui, who was appointed to the board in January, was the top vote-getter during the primary in February. Giles, a Scaggsville resident who is an editor and analyst for an energy trade publisher, finished second in the primary, followed by Butler, Dyer, retiree Betsy Grater, and University of Maryland student Di Zou.

The top three candidates will join current Chairman Frank Aquino and other sitting board members Sandra H. French, Patricia Gordon, Larry Cohen and Diane Mikulis, along with student member Adejire Bademosi.