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Dana and I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of HSE parents in the last few weeks, and the most common question – after “why did you decide to run?” – is “how is the school board elected?” It’s a fair question.  Up until I decided to run, I wasn’t clear on the details myself.  In this post I will attempt to clarify who makes up the HSE School Board and how the school board is elected.

How Many People Are On The School Board?

The HSE School Board consists of seven members.  They each serve a four-year term.  Three board members represent each of the three townships – Delaware, Fall Creek, and Wayne – and four board members represent each of the four districts – simply numbered Districts 1-4.

Who is Currently on the School Board?

The current school board consists of:

• Delaware Township:  Karen Harmer – Board President (not seeking re-election)
• Fall Creek Township: Howard Stevenson – Board Vice President
• Wayne Township: Sylvia Shepler – Secretary
• District 1: Matt Burke
• District 2: John DeLucia
• District 3: Michelle Fullhart
• District 4: Terry Tolle

When Are Board Members Elected?

The 4-year school board terms are staggered.  The three board members representing the townships are elected during presidential election years, like this one.  The four district candidates are elected during the mid-term election years.

Which Candidates Do I Vote For?

Although candidates can only represent the township or district they live in, voters select one candidate from each township in presidential election years, or in mid-term election years, one candidate from the precinct they live in.  For instance, if a voter lives in Fall Creek Township, he or she will vote for one candidate in Delaware Township, one in Fall Creek Township, and one in Wayne Township.  However for the mid-term elections, voters choose one candidate from their own district.

The candidates running in this election are:

Delaware Township:

• Adam Harness (Me)
• Bradley Jones
• Amanda Shera
• Frank Whelan

Fall Creek Township:

• Mike Bottorff
• J Kent Everett
• Howard Stevenson (Incumbent)

Wayne Township:

• Sylvia Shepler (Incumbent)
• Charron Wright

What Qualifications Does a Person Need to Have to Run for HSE School Board?

First, it is important to note that school board positions are non-partisan.  This means the candidates do not have to run on a Republican or Democrat ticket.  This is very important if you plan on choosing a straight Republican or Democrat ticket on election day.  If, for example, you select the option to vote for all Republicans, and hit Submit, you will miss the chance to vote for the school board, along with all of the other non-partisan positions on the ballot.

The eligibility rules for a school board position are as follows (courtesy of the Indiana School Board Association):

 A. Voter Registration

A person is not qualified to run for:
(1) a state office;
(2) a legislative office;
(3) a local office; or
(4) a school board office;
unless the person is registered to vote in the election district the person seeks to represent not later than the deadline for filing the declaration or petition of candidacy or certificate of nomination. (IC 3-8-1-1(b))

B. Felony Conviction

A person is disqualified from assuming or being a candidate for an elected office if, among other things, the person has been convicted of a felony that has not been pardoned, reversed, vacated, set aside, or not entered because the trial court did not accept the person’s guilty plea. (IC 3-8-1- 5)

C. Multiple Lucrative Offices

A person may not hold more than one (1) lucrative office at a time, as provided in Article 2, Section 9 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana. (IC 3-8-1-3)

D. Residence

A candidate for a school board office must have resided in the school corporation for at least one (1) year before the election. If a candidate is seeking to represent an election district that consists of less than the entire school corporation, the candidate must have resided in the election district for at least one (1) year before the election. (IC 3-8-1-34)

E. Age

No person otherwise eligible to assume office as a member of a governing body shall be disqualified on the basis of age, if the individual is at least twenty-one (21) years of age. (IC 20-26-4-9)

F. Property Ownership

Property ownership may not be a qualification for serving as a member of a governing body. (IC 20-26-4-10)

G. School Corporation Employees

An individual who is employed as a teacher or as a noncertificated employee of the school corporation may not be a member of the governing body of the school corporation. (IC 20-26-4-11)

Hopefully this will clear up some confusion and help you make an informed decision on election day.