Six candidates are running in the nonpartisan general election for three at-large seats on the five-member Lakota Local Schools Board of Education in Butler County, Ohio, on Nov. 4, 2025. The three candidates who receive the most votes will serve four-year terms on the board.
According to Journal News’ Michael D. Clark, “The stakes in this year’s Lakota board race are historically high, with a majority of open seats on the governing body that oversees Ohio’s ninth largest district and is also the largest suburban school system in Southwest Ohio.” As of October 2025, Lakota Local Schools operates 22 schools. During the 2023-2024 school year, 17,887 students attended a school in the district.
Incumbent Kelley Casper is running for re-election, while incumbent Isaac Adi is not running for re-election. Christina French, who was appointed to the board in April 2024 following the removal of Darbi Boddy, is not running for a full term. Click here to read more about Boddy’s removal.
The following candidates are running for their first terms on the board: Alex Argo, Elyse Jenkins, Melissa Meyer, Tommy Montoya, and Benjamin Nguyen.
Casper was first elected to the board in 2017 and serves as the board’s vice president. Argo and Jenkins are both business owners. Meyer is a substitute school clinic nurse. Montoya works in human resources. Nguyen is a full-time student at Miami University.
Although the board is officially nonpartisan, the current ideological leanings of the board is split. The Butler County Democratic Party endorsed three of the five members of the board in previous elections. Media outlets described Adi as a conservative. French’s ideological leaning is unknown.
The Butler County Democratic Party endorsed Casper, Argo, and Jenkins. Nguyen said he is a Republican. Montoya said he is “an independent-minded candidate.” Meyer’s affiliation is unknown.
This election is taking place against the backdrop of voters also deciding on Issue 10. According to Dayton Daily News’ Josh Sweigart, the two-part school tax bond issue is “a new 4.99-mill bond issue that would collect $506.4 million and a 0.95-mill permanent improvement levy that would raise $4.98 million to fund [the district’s] Master Facilities Plan. Both are 37-year tax issues and would cost $175 and $33 per $100,000 of home value, respectively. The net increase to taxpayers — an existing bond is scheduled to roll off in 2029 — would be roughly $93 a year per $100,000.”
Spectrum News 1’s Travis Hicks wrote that the district’s “Master Facilities Plan includes a reduction in the number of school buildings and would include the construction of four new elementary schools.” Casper, Argo, Jenkins, and Montoya said they support the measure. Meyer and Nguyen said they do not support the measure.
Elyse Jenkins (Nonpartisan) and Tommy Montoya (Nonpartisan) completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.