In a historic move, ACC District voters elected two trustees to the Austin Community College District Board of Trustees November 8, including the first ACC student trustee. The remaining two seats will be determined in a runoff election December 13.

Nicole Eversmann was elected to the Place 5 seat, and Dr. Nora De Hoyos Comstock to Place 6. Each received more than 50 percent of the votes for their seats. Eversmann is a current ACC student. She served as an ACC student representative on the college’s Futures Institute and for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

“It is a huge honor to be elected to the ACC Board of Trustees,” says Eversmann. “My dream is to complete my degree at ACC, transfer to earn a bachelor’s in economics, and eventually earn a Ph.D. in education policy. I am passionate about education and excited to serve on the Board.”

Comstock is the national and international founder of Las Comadres Para Las Americas. In 2015, she was honored as a Woman of Distinction by the Texas Mexican American Chambers of Commerce.

“Education is the single most important factor that can transform a community, ” says Comstock. “I’m grateful to the voters for their support and look forward to working with my fellow trustees to enhance opportunities at ACC and expand access across our region.”

Meantime, candidates Sean Hassan and Michael J. Lewis will face off for Place 4 in the runoff election. Hassan is co-founder of Texas Education Partners. Lewis is the former Texas Education Agency auditor.

Guadalupe Sosa and Julie Ann Nitsch will face off for Place 9. Sosa was elected to the ACC Board of Trustees in 2010 and currently serves in the Place 6 seat. Nitsch is a former ACC student and employee.

The newly elected trustees will be sworn in to office during the board’s December meeting. Swearing-in for runoff winners will be January.

Here are the complete unofficial general election results:

Place 4

• George Robinson – 29 percent
• Sean Hassan – 39 percent
• Michael J. Lewis – 30 percent

Place 5

• Thomas Miranda- 29 percent
• Nicole Eversmann- 51 percent
• Anthony Schoggins – 19 percent

Place 6

• Douglas Gibbins – 41 percent
• Nora De Hoyos Comstock – 58 percent

Place 9

• Guadalupe Sosa – 38 percent
• Mitch Fuller – 18 percent
• Julie Ann Nitsch – 32 percent
• Jeremy Story – 10 percent

Trustees serve six-year terms and are elected at-large by registered voters who live within the ACC District, which includes the City of Austin as well as the Austin, Leander, Manor, Del Valle, Round Rock, Elgin, and Hays school districts. Voters join the ACC District through annexation and pay property taxes to help support the college and receive benefits such as:

• In-district tuition
• Full-service campuses in close proximity to home
• Customized training programs designed for the local workforce

Comprehensive runoff results will be available on the ACC Elections website. Individual county results will be available through county election websites.

Tags: Board of Trustees, election, Nicole Eversmann, Nora De Hoyos Comstock, voter