Alum and former Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Nick Melvoin ’04 emerged victorious in L.A. Unified School District Board elections May 16. After garnering enough votes in the March primary election to advance to a runoff with incumbent Board President Steve Zimmer, Melvoin pulled 57 percent of the vote.

Melvoin’s intern Shelby Weiss ’16 said Melvoin’s team spent the months between elections continuing to reach out to voters to maximize turnout and build a strong and positive campaign. Prominent goals stated in Melvoin’s platform included modernization of the district and fiscal transparency.

As the election approached, Zimmer’s team published several disparaging advertisements urging voters not to vote for Melvoin. Weiss said she is pleased the ads did not affect election results.

“In spite of the vitriol and hostility from the other side, Nick and his positive campaign prevailed, which given the national political climate, was incredibly heartening to see,” Weiss said. “While, as the challenger, Nick’s odds were always long, he was undoubtedly the superior candidate. His victory is historic. An incumbent, let alone the School Board President, hasn’t been unseated in decades.”

Melvoin officially takes office in early July.