Bethel school board incumbent withdraws from re-election bid

Lydda Mansfield pulls out of the race late; her name is already listed on ballots
Bethel Elementary School held a grand opening event in August 2023, allowing district families to take a peak at the newly completed school building. AIMEE HANCOCK/STAFF

Bethel Elementary School held a grand opening event in August 2023, allowing district families to take a peak at the newly completed school building. AIMEE HANCOCK/STAFF

TROY — An incumbent Bethel Local Schools Board of Education member has withdrawn from the race for a board seat on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Lydda Mansfield was one of three candidates for a two-year term on the board. Mansfield wrote a letter to the Miami County Board of Elections stating recent personal events have changed life circumstances in a way she thinks would not allow her to complete the full two-year term.

“It is therefore, with deep regret and a now displaced heart for service, that I submit to you this letter withdrawing my candidacy for the seat,” Mansfield wrote in a notice to the election office.

Ballots for the election had already been printed when the letter was received. As a result, any voters in the Bethel school district who request a mail ballot from now on will get notice of the withdrawal from the Board of Elections. The BOE has already posted notices in the early vote center at the election office and will post notices at polling locations on Election Day, said Laura Bruns, Miami County elections director.

The two candidates remaining on the ballot for the two-year term are Megan Black-Striley and Andrew Vieth.

There is a separate race for two four-year terms on the Bethel school board, and the four candidates in that race are Regan Butler, Jackie Leskowich, Kerry Pahal and Lori Sebastian.

Lydda Mansfield, Bethel school board member

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