Clementi Challenges Wright for State School Board Seat

Pueblo Democrat Barb Clementi is running against Cortez Republican Sherri Wright for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District seat on the State Board of Education.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Administration

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a low government building facade against a high-plains horizon with distant mountains, evoking state education oversight. — Barb Clementi, a Pueblo Democrat, is challenging incumbent Republican Sherri Wright for a six-year seat on the Colorado State Board of Education in the 3rd Congressional District. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Barb Clementi, a Pueblo Democrat, is challenging incumbent Sherri Wright, a Cortez Republican, for the Colorado State Board of Education 3rd Congressional District seat. The winner will serve a six-year term on the board, which governs the Colorado Department of Education.

Why it matters

The state board oversees the Colorado Department of Education, shaping policy that affects public schools statewide. Both candidates bring decades of teaching experience and prior service on local school boards to the race.

The seat carries a six-year term and is contested in the 3rd Congressional District. Wright was appointed in 2024 after Stephen Varela resigned and was later elected to finish that term, while the outcome of the current contest remains pending.

The players

Barb Clementi

Clementi is a Pueblo Democrat with decades of teaching experience who has previously led a local school board.

Sherri Wright

Wright is a Cortez Republican who has served on the Colorado State Board of Education for two years after an initial appointment.

The details

Wright was appointed by a Republican vacancy committee in 2024 following Varela's resignation and was later elected to serve the remainder of his term. Clementi announced her campaign in June, and polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day.

2024: Sherri Wright is appointed to the state board by a Republican vacancy committee.
June: Barb Clementi announces her campaign for the seat.
Election Day: Voting results determine the winner; polls close at 7 p.m.

Roadmap

The State Board of Education in Colorado sets policy for the Colorado Department of Education and oversees statewide academic standards. Seats on the board are filled through elections and vacancy appointments, as shown by Wright's path to office.

Colorado families and educators will be affected by the policy direction set by whoever wins this seat on the state board. The six-year term means the winner will influence school governance for a sustained period.

The takeaway

Voters in the 3rd Congressional District choose a state board member with a six-year term, so the outcome shapes Colorado education policy well beyond this election cycle. Following the candidates' positions on school governance can help readers assess the choice.