School board candidate slate finalized

A few more candidates filed for Wayne County’s 12 open school board seats before the deadline.

Seven incumbents face no challengers. Three races are contested (two Richmond and one Western Wayne at-large seats). Two seats (Centerville-Abington and Northeastern at-large) have no candidates.

Most school board candidates chose to run as nonpartisan, but some have declared a political party. It’s the first contest they were eligible to do so.

For the November election, school board candidates had to submit paperwork by noon Thursday, June 18, at Wayne County’s voter registration office. Candidates also had to gather signatures from at least 10 voters in their board district on a petition before that deadline.

Only a portion of each school board’s seats are up for election at one time. Open seats are:

• Centerville-Abington: One at-large seat and District B (Center 3, 4, 5, 6)
• Nettle Creek: Two at-large and District B (Dalton, Perry Townships)
• Northeastern: One at-large and District A (Greene)
• Richmond Community Schools: Two at-large plus District 3 (much of the city’s west side). Voters can see a district map at wwn.to/rcsdistricts.
• Western Wayne: One at-large and District C (Washington)

School boards make key decisions regarding their district’s future, such as hiring superintendents and approving budgets and policies. Many school districts are bracing for potential budget cuts prompted by state property tax reforms.

Changes approved by the Indiana General Assembly affect this year’s school board elections. Previously nonpartisan, candidates may now list a party affiliation (Democratic, Libertarian, Republican or other), run as an Independent, decline to disclose an affiliation, or state they are neither affiliated with a party nor independent.

Candidates claiming Democratic or Republican affiliation must have selected that party’s ballot in the last two primaries in which they voted, or obtain certification from the county party chair.

Other races

There’s still time to join the ballot for other elected offices for the November election as an independent or Libertarian, or to fill a vacancy on a Democratic or Republican ballot.

Political parties can appoint candidates for ballot vacancies until July 3. Democratic and Republican parties must file a certificate of selection by noon Monday, July 6, that notes a ballot vacancy has been filled.

Democratic Chair Maggie Thomas is at 765-676-3367 or info@waynecountydemocrats.com. Republican Chair Beth Leisure is at 765-914-0633 or waynecountyrepublicansinfo@gmail.com.

Voter registration

Those who want to vote in the November election need to sign up or update outdated information by Oct. 5.

Wayne County voter registration can be reached at 765-973-9226, voters@waynecounty.in.gov, or in the courthouse, 301 E. Main St., Richmond.