Voters sent mixed messages Tuesday about whether they want partisan influence in school board races. Why it matters: The results from this election cycle show the uncertain future of education politics in a state that's been defined by them under Gov.

Most Orange County school board incumbents are taking strong leads this year, according to vote tallies released by the county registrar Friday evening. But in some districts, including the Fullerton School District,

Thirty-one people ran to represent 10 districts in an election that morphed into a battle between Johnson’s allies at the Chicago Teachers Union and their opponents.

The unofficial results are in on which four Buncombe County Board of Education candidates won seats, including two incumbents and two newcomers.

Together, the districts serve nearly 13,000 students in total across the county. School board members do not oversee the day-to-day operations of a school corporation, but rather provide oversight. They are also responsible for hiring the superintendent, approving the budget, and creating policies for staff and students.

For the first time, Chicago voters were tasked with electing members of the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education.