Anne Fitts and Henry Hicks qualified Tuesday night for the Selma School Board president runoff on Dec. 6.

Fitts received 1,049 votes, 28.96 percent, and Hicks received 959 votes, 26.47 percent of the total votes.

“I’ve enjoyed getting to know the community better,” Fitts said. “I have a wider sense of people’s wishes for the school board, and I share their concerns.”

Although she has not started planning her runoff campaign, Fitts believes her experience with the school board will help her. But for Tuesday night, Fitts paused campaigning and will start again Wednesday.

Ben Givan, outgoing school board president, plans to still stay involved with the schools despite the outcome of the election.

“I’m always going to be involved in the school system,” Givan said. “The school system is my whole life.”

He said he may tutor students or be around to assist the new board or superintendent to make a smooth transition between the boards.

Givan congratulated both Fitts and Hicks and wished well to the other candidates who did not make it to the runoff.

Four members from four districts will replace the board of 11 members with a president elected at large.

“There’s just no comparison between the two,” Fitts said.

Voters chose to have an elected board after a special election in April.

After the runoff, the new school board members will start in December or January.