DOVER, Pa. -- Voters in a Pennsylvania town wracked by a debate about adding intelligent design to a science curriculum have cleaned house.

Eight Republican school board members who ordered a statement on intelligent design read in biology class were voted out and replaced with Democrats who oppose the policy.

A group of Democratic challengers calling themselves Dover CARES were elected.

They said they are not against intelligent design, but that they are against including it in the science department.

"We couldn't be any happier. We were just hoping to maybe get a majority and to get all eight seats is just unbelievable," said Terry Emig of Dover CARES.

The election unfolded amid a landmark federal trial involving the Dover, Pa., public schools.

Eight Dover families sued, saying a required statement on intelligent design promotes the Bible's view of creation and violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

Dover's school board adopted a policy in October 2004 that requires ninth-graders to hear a prepared statement about intelligent design before learning about evolution in biology class.

One member of the nine-person school board was not up for reelection.

A spokesman for the winning slate of candidates has said they won't act hastily.

The judge expects to rule on the suit by January and the new school board members will be sworn in Dec. 5.