The two incumbents in Ramona Unified School District’s school board race have taken the lead in early voting results Tuesday night.

So far, school board President Dawn Perfect is ahead of challenger Stephanie Cooter by a wide lead in Trustee Area 3, and school board member Daryn Drum is outpacing challenger John Rajcic in Trustee Area 4.

The school board is comprised of five members who are elected to serve for four-year overlapping terms.

Perfect has served on Ramona Unified’s school board for 16 years, including stints as board president for several of those years. As a trustee, Perfect said she has successfully built strong relationships, managed budgets with transparency, and implemented innovative solutions to complex challenges.

Sentinel File PhotoTrustee Area 3 incumbent Dawn Perfect

Her priorities are to advocate for local control of schools and to ensure Ramona schools meet the needs of Ramona families, she said. Perfect said she wants to ensure schools are safe and clean, teachers are supported and parents are heard.

I am optimistic, but these are just initial returns, Perfect said just after the Registrar of Voters posted its first voting results on election night. Keep in mind, these are people who voted prior to today and there was a lot of campaigning thats gone on in the past few days.

Perfect has also served as a delegate at the state level with the California School Boards Association for 10 years.

Cooter, 43, who works as a marketing manager for F&F Properties, is raising two sons with her husband, John Cooter.

She is president of Ramona Pony Baseball, PTA secretary at Ramona Community Campus, and an appointee to the Women in Leadership Advisory Board at Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises.

Courtesy Jason Holmes PhotographyTrustee Area 3 candidate Stephanie Cooter (Courtesy Jason Holmes Photography)

She said her top priorities, if elected, are fiscal responsibility and ensuring students and teachers receive the resources they deserve for success.

Drum, 59, a school board member for eight years, said he is seeking re-election because Ramona’s schools and children “matter to me.” The father of three daughters, ages 14, 19 and 21, has lived in Ramona for 20 years with his wife, Denise. He said he is dedicated to ensuring that the schools are as good as they can be.

Courtesy Daryn DrumTrustee Area 4 incumbent Daryn Drum (Courtesy Daryn Drum)

Drum is a retired firefighter who currently works for Capstone Fire & Safety Management.

He said the outcome of the election is still up in the air, but the early voting returns are encouraging.

I think the school district is headed in a good direction, he said. Im proud of where were going and where well continue to go.

Rajcic, 93, has lived in Ramona 29 years. He and his wife, Constance, have four children, eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Rajcic previously served on the Ramona Unified school board and said he has experience as a teacher, college lecturer and deputy superintendent. He has worked at GM Kawai America Corp. as well as served as an assistant chief of staff 6th Army. In Ramona, he was a director for the San Diego Country Estates Association.

Rajcic said his top priorities include student and staff safety, and ensuring the school district is fiscally strong, effective and efficient.