Getting your name on the ballot to run for School Board seems like a daunting task at first. But, if you go step by step, you will find it is rather easy. In short -- you download the form, fill out your part of it, collect at least 10 signatures of support, get the form notarized and file it with the Election Board before the filing deadline - which in Marion County is noon, Friday, February 19, 2010.
In Marion County, the election for School Board will be held May 4, 2010. Each School District has is own School Board districts. Click here to view a map of all School Board districts in the County. I have posted a cut-out of the MSD Decatur Township School Board districts below.
Which District has open seats?
Decatur Township has three School Board districts; simply called district 1, district 2, district 3. Candidates can only run for an open Board seat in the district in which they live. And, they must have lived in the district for at least one year before Election Day. There can be no more than two Board members from any one district serving at the same time. Currently 3 seats are up for election on May 4; Cathy Wiseman's seat in district 1, Dale Henson's seat in district 3, and Judy Collins' seat in district 3. There are NO seats open in district 2 at this time. At the May 4th election, Decatur can vote for two candidates from district 1 and one from district two - or visa versa.
District 1 is the smaller area district in the northeast corner of the Township. District 2 is the one that runs south of I-456 and along the White River. District 3 is the one that takes in Troy Avenue to the north and the Hendricks County line to the west.
Who is qualified to run for School Board?
The following information is taken from the Candidates Guide posted on the Secretary of State's website. Go to page 73 for information on School Board races. You must be 21 years of age or older. You must reside in the School Board district in which you are running and must have lived there since at least May 4, 2009. You must be a registered voter in the district you wish to represent by noon, February 19, 2010; that means there is still time to register to vote so you can run for School Board. You must not have been previously convicted of a felony. You CANNOT run for a seat on the same School Board that governs the School District for which you work (you can be a teacher or custodian in Perry Township Schools and run for the Decatur Board, for example; but you cannot work for the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township and run for the Decatur School Board).
Form to file to run for School Board
The Nomination and Consent for School Board Office form is available online on the Marion County Clerk's website under the Election Board pages. Read the instructions on the form carefully. If you have any questions at all, the folks who work in the Election Board office are extremely helpful. 327-5100
Basically, you fill out your name and address type of information and you get the signatures of ten people who live in the same School Board district as you AND who are registered to vote in that district. So, someone who just moved into the district, but who has not yet switched their voter registration to their new address, would not be qualified to sign your petition. You can collect more than ten signatures (use two copies of page 1 of the form and staple those to one copy of page 2) just to be sure you get the required number of qualified signatures. Each signer must provide their name, address, and date of birth so that the Election Board can verify that they meet the requirements to sign for your candidacy.
The form must be notarized after you have all of your signatures.
The completed forms must be turned in to the Election Board no later than noon, Friday, February 19, 2010. The office is located in the City-County Building on the first floor. If you come in the Market street entrance, walk down the hallway on your right after going through security. The Clerk's Office will be on your right about half way down the hall. The Election Board office is in the far right hand corner of the Clerk's Office. Remember to leave time to get through security - noon is the absolute deadline and NO candidate can file after that time.
Campaign Finance Reporting
If you do NOT receive more than $500 in campaign contributions OR do NOT spent more than $500 for your campaign, then you do NOT have to file a Campaign Finance Report. So, keep track of all contributions and all spending so that you know if and when you cross over that $500 limit. If you do cross over the limit, you can obtain the required forms and deadlines on the Election Board web pages - click here. It is rare that a School Board candidate hits that $500 limit.
So that's it. We have three open seats up for election. The filing deadline is noon, February 19, 2010. Think about running.
Will Texas Corruption Spread?
7 hours ago
3 comments:
why not just rid of the top 2 people in each dept and hire new blood that isn't corrupt
well that counts me out. I am in district 2. Thanks for the info
The Indiana School Boards Association has the following in their code of ethics:
"A School Board member should meet his responsibilities to his community:
BY regarding it as a major responsibility of the board to interpret the aims and the methods of the schools to the community.
BY insisting that all school business transactions be on an open, ethical and above-board basis.
BY vigorously seeking adequate financial support for the schools.
BY refusing to use his position on a school board in any way whatsoever for personal gain or personal prestige.
BY refusing to discuss personnel matters or any other confidential business of the board in his home, on the street or in his office.
BY winning the community's confidence that all is being done in the best interests of school children."
It would appear there is some unethical behaviors happening.
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