There are just under 50,000 mail-in, provisional and damaged ballots left to be processed, according to the Tulare County Elections Office as of press time. The Sun-Gazette estimates that less than half of those will include votes for this race based on prior election returns, the race was still close to call as of press time.
If Hire holds on to win, which projections say he will, then Tulare County will not only have a new superintendent but Exeter Unified School District will have to replace theirs. Hire has led EUSD since 2012 and was the superintendent for Woodlake Unified from 2007-2012. He successfully spearheaded efforts in both communities to unify their separate elementary and high school districts. WUSD was formed in 2011 and EUSD was formed in 2012.
Wheaton is currently deputy superintendent of county schools following five years as Visalia Unified School District superintendent. If Wheaton loses, he will serve under Hire at least through the end of his contract next June.
No matter the outcome, someone other than Jim Vidak will serve in the office for the first time since 1990. Vidak is the longest-serving county superintendent in California currently in office. The veteran educator is also Tulare County’s longest-serving county superintendent, an office which was established in 1854.