Sandra Donnay, who previously announced her withdrawal from the Board of Education election, is now leaning toward accepting a seat.
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — Sandra Donnay, who previously announced her withdrawal from the Board of Education election, is now leaning toward accepting a seat.
Since her decision to pull out of the race was made after the Sept. 30 deadline, her name still appeared on the ballot on Election Day Nov. 5.
She was the third top vote-getter with 1,594 votes, beating incumbent Shalini Bhargava and Ramesh Durvasala, who earned 1,427 and 1,126 votes respectively. That means she is eligible to take one of the three seats that were up for grabs in the election.
”I am leaning towards accepting the seat because this mandate indicates that the issues that I am passionate about: evidenced-based social and emotional learning programs, are also the ones that are important to Montgomery voters/residents and consequently, I do not want to let the voters down,” Ms. Donnay said.
”Social and emotional learning involves the implementation of evidenced-based programs to prevent bullying; drug and alcohol use as well as to promote empathy and good decision making in our youth. I have been a passionate advocate for these programs and will continue to work with our schools in this area,”she said.
She has been serving on the board since April, when board members appointed her to serve the unexpired term of Christine Abrahams. Ms. Donnay’s term will end Dec. 31.
Ms. Donnay made her decision to withdraw from the race public during a Board of Education meeting and through local newspapers.
She withdrew her candidacy because she is in graduate school and was given unforeseen dissertation deadlines and research responsibilities during the campaign season, according to Ms. Donnay.
Ms. Bhargava, who would no longer be eligible to sit on the board if Ms. Donnay accepts the seat, said, “I’m ok with whatever she decides. Publicly she had withdrawn and that’s the impression I was under.”
Montgomery Township School Business Administrator Tom Venanzi said Ms. Donnay can accept the seat.
”Yes, since she was elected,” Mr. Venanzi said. “She technically could not withdraw from the election since her request was too late to take her name off the ballot.”

