Erica K. Bennett, a longtime Prince George’s County educator and principal of John H. Bayne Elementary School, appears poised to unseat the only incumbent school board member on Tuesday’s ballot, according to unofficial election results updated Wednesday.

Bennett, 55, received 19,171 votes, or 54.1%, compared with 16,026 votes, or 45.2%, for Chandrai “CJ” Jackson-Saunders in the District 9 race. All 42 Election Day precincts had reported, though provisional ballots had not yet been counted.

Both candidates acknowledged the outcome on social media Wednesday.

“District 9, thank you for trusting me,” Bennett wrote on Instagram. “I am humbled, grateful, and ready to serve.”

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Jackson-Saunders conceded defeat.

Bennett, who has spent more than 28 years in education, including about 25 in Prince George’s County Public Schools, campaigned on protecting classroom resources, improving transportation and special education services, and holding district leaders accountable.

A graduate of Oxon Hill High School and parent of two PGCPS graduates, Bennett said her experiences in the district gave her firsthand insight into how leadership’s decisions affect classrooms.

In an interview with The Banner before the election, she called for an independent organizational audit to identify inefficiencies before making further cuts to school-based positions.

“We just cannot continue to ask schools to do more with less without first examining how effectively we’re using the resources that we already have,” she said.

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Bennett also proposed setting measurable performance goals for the superintendent, particularly in student achievement, transportation and communication with families.

Jackson-Saunders, 65, a retired school psychologist, was appointed to the board in February to fill a vacancy. She was the only sitting board member seeking a full term in Tuesday’s election.

During her brief tenure, Jackson-Saunders advocated for safer school transportation, greater transparency around special education staffing and stronger family engagement.

“Although I did not win, I am grateful to have served as your appointed School Board representative,” Jackson-Saunders wrote in a caption on an unrelated Instagram post Wednesday.

She said her term continues through Dec. 7 and, without missing a beat, encouraged families to attend a Thursday evening meeting on the district’s educational facilities master plan at Gwynn Park High School.

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District 9 covers much of southern Prince George’s County, including Brandywine, Clinton and Upper Marlboro.

Bennett said she wants families to see tangible improvements in transportation, academic performance and communication with district leaders. She said she has already developed a plan for her first 30 days in office, though she did not share specific details.

“I want families to see and feel the difference,” she previously told The Banner. “And not just hear about it.”