Is anyone thinking of running for school board?

The County Line

For people considering running for their local school board, the filing of petitions of candidacy will be accepted at the County Elections Office beginning July 22. The deadline to file is noon on Aug. 21 for the Nov. 3 election.

In Hamilton County’s six school districts there are a total of 14 board seats at stake this year. All school board elections are non-partisan.

With all the interest in public education, it is interesting to note that the elections do not draw large numbers of candidates. In many board elections there are often several seats that go uncontested to only one candidate.

School boards are responsible for the largest budgets and the largest number of public employees in their respective communities. Any registered voter living within his or her school district is eligible to run.

This year there are three at-large seats up for election in the Noblesville district, which includes all of Noblesville Township.

In the Hamilton Southeastern district there are also three seats at stake, one from each of the district’s townships: Delaware, Fall Creek and Wayne. Southeastern has a seven-member board; all the other school systems have five-member boards.

Carmel Clay, which includes all of Clay Township, will see two at-large board members elected this year.

Hamilton Heights will also elect two, one from Jackson Township and one from White River.

Westfield Washington has two seats up this year, one in District 1 and one in District 3.

Sheridan Schools, where the district covers Adams Township and Marion Township in Boone County, will elect two members from Marion Township.