Ohio Senate Bill Proposes Party Labels for School Board Elections
A new bill introduced in the Ohio Senate seeks to change the way school board elections are conducted by requiring candidates to run in partisan elections. Senate Bill 107, introduced by Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), would mandate that candidates for the State Board of Education, local school boards, and education service center governing boards participate in political party primaries and appear on general election ballots with their party affiliation.
Under current Ohio law, these races are nonpartisan, similar to judicial elections at the municipal and county levels. Brenner argues that while school board elections may appear to be free from politics, they are inherently influenced by candidates’ personal political beliefs. He believes party labels would provide voters with greater transparency and help align school board members with the values of their communities.
Opponents of the bill, including the Ohio School Boards Association, argue that making school board elections partisan would shrink the pool of qualified candidates, particularly those who are federal or state employees, as they are prohibited from running in partisan races. The association also warns that the change could discourage community members from serving in school leadership roles.
A similar attempt to add partisanship to school board races was introduced in the Ohio House in 2023 but failed to advance. If Senate Bill 107 is passed, the changes would take effect no sooner than 2028, ensuring that school board elections remain nonpartisan until then.
