Nov. 6 election ballots across Kentucky will have more than presidential, congressional and legislative races. They will include as many as 500 local board of education elections. And the clock is ticking for candidates to file their non-partisan candidacy paperwork.
KSBA’s Legal Services unit has created an online collection of information vital to board candidates, incumbents and any others pondering a board of election office. The webpage - http://www.ksba.org/ElectionPacket.aspx -includes these and other useful information items:
* What every candidate needs to know
* Frequently Asked Questions for school board elections
* Summary of election finance requirements
* Affidavit for school board member
* Conflicts of interest for serving on school boards
This year, most county boards of education will have at least three seats up for election, while most independent boards will have two seats on the ballot. More seats may be up for election if an unexpired term is to be filled in the election.
Special note to independent board members and superintendents:
If you are leading an independent district with an unexpired term up for election, the district needs to communicate directly with the County Clerk to make sure that candidates seeking election for the unexpired term are distinguished on the ballot from those who are seeking full terms. Otherwise, as independent district candidates run at-large, there often is confusion over who is running for which seat on the board.
Independent superintendents of boards that have had multiple resignations and vacancies filled by appointment in the past decade are strongly urged to research local election records to be certain which seats must be filled in the 2012 general election. In every election for the past 12 years, one or more school board seats have not drawn a candidate simply because no one knew that seat was up for election. The result is that the seat becomes vacant in the following January and must be filled by state appointment.
Nominating petitions must be obtained from the office of the County Clerk in your home community. The following rules apply to nominating petitions:
* Each candidate also must sign the nominating petition form;
* Each petition must contain the signatures of at least two (2) petitioners who are legally qualified to vote for the candidate;
* Each petitioner must date his or her signature;
* Each petitioner must list his or her address of residence;
* Each petitioner must list his or her date of birth;
* Failure of a petitioner to list his or her address, date of birth and signature affixation date, will cause the petitioner not to be counted.
Nominating petitions must be filed with the Office of the County Clerk no later than 4 p.m. local time, Aug. 14. A $20 filing fee is due at the time the Nominating Petition is filed. When the Nominating Petition is filed, an Appointment of Campaign Treasurer form and Optional Request for Reporting Exemption and Affidavit must also be filed.
The 1984 General Assembly enacted legislation requiring all candidates for school boards to comply with the reporting provisions of the Kentucky election and campaign finance laws. Another helpful Registry publication is the Candidate Guide to Campaign Finance (Revised 8/2011) accessible along with other campaign finance materials via the Internet at http://kref.ky.gov.