Gunnar Hand won a seat Tuesday on the Kansas City school board, beating Stephen Himes in a special election to fill a vacant seat in Subdistrict No. 2.

In complete but unofficial returns, Hand had 61 percent of the vote to Himes' 38 percent.

Hand, a 31-year-old city planner, ran for the office saying he wanted to be able to send his baby daughter to Kansas City Public Schools. His wife, Ashley, has been leading a community effort to reopen Hale Cook Elementary School in the subdistrict, which covers the district's southwest corridor.

Himes, 37, is an English teacher at St. Teresa's Academy who taught in public schools in Rogersville, Mo., and also has a law degree.

Both candidates hoped to help build confidence in the locally elected board, which has been under intense scrutiny as the district works to regain accreditation.

Hand's term runs until the next regular board election in April 2014. He is replacing Derek Richey, who moved out of the state earlier this year.