ABC’s of School Board Elections
July 27, 2007 by Sandy Renshaw
Filed under Associations, Community, Education, General, Guest Writer: Field, M.R., Iowa, Neighbors
Here are some questions for readers of this blog: What was your favorite trick to avoid going to school? How excited were you to receive your diploma? Do you believe you were given every opportunity to reach your potential? Do you think current students in grades kindergarten through the 12th are being given the best possible education?
Do you duck and cover when people start talking about school board elections? Do you tune out to school discussions because you don’t have children or don’t work in the system? Do you believe schools are essential to democracy and deserve as much respect as any other election? More specifically, what is your opinion of the current school board in your community?
What would you like to see your community accomplish? Is anyone working on it?
In Iowa, elections for school boards are held every year. These elections are on the second Tuesday in September. In Des Moines, due to the low turnout of voters, polling sites were consolidated a few years ago. This means that many residents of the school district must go to a different location to vote for school board directors than where they go to vote in every other election.
Nomination papers for school board candidates must be turned in by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, August 2. The Iowa Association of School Boards has very good information about running for a school board seat on its web site, including the number of voters’ signatures required.
In Des Moines, all school board directors are elected at-large. There are six members with two up for election each year. This year, Marc Ward’s and Phil Roeder’s terms expire.
As I was writing this item, I was watching local television news. The station I had on reported that Roeder is resigning from the school board, effective July 31, to become the spokesperson for the school district. Demonstrating why Des Moines residents give little respect to established news media, the news anchor did not bother to note that Roeder’s term was expiring this year or that nominations for school board candidates are due a week from today. All the anchor said was that Roeder would be resigning his position. This makes me wonder who knew this was going to happen and who’s been planning on running to take Roeder’s place? I don’t have time to follow the school board, but I still want to know.
Meetings of the Des Moines school board are held the first and third Tuesdays of most months, starting at 6:00 p.m. Public forum comments may be made from 5:45 - 6:00 p.m. The location of the meetings is 1800 Grand Avenue. The #1 bus route will get people to the meeting, but depending upon how far and which direction the person needs to go after the meeting, public transportation may not be available. The next scheduled meeting is on August 7, 2007.
Guest Writer: M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa and has been using the bi-weekly publication to alert Iowans to opportunities for running for school board and city council seats in 2007.
Sandy Renshaw is Sandy Renshaw is a self-employed communications consultant. You will also find her blogging at Purple Wren.
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The first year I lived in Des Moines was the first year of the polling place consolidation. I misread the fine print on my voter registration card and went to the polling site for my general election. That site was open but my name was not on the registration list so I double checked my registration card and realized I had to go elsewhere. The site where I had to go for the school board election was close to an hour’s walk from where I lived and there was a definite lack of street lights. Moreover, the buses on that route stopped running at 6:00 p.m. I was not pleased.
The second year I lived in Des Moines, I did not realize that there was a school board election until a few days before it was held. Local media hardly mentioned it until the weekend before the vote. Although, I did notice later that parent organizations had been promoting the election within their own circles. The lack of ease in accessing my polling place, and my lack of knowledge about any of the candidates or issues due to the lack of coverage, influenced my voting decision.
This year, not only am I aware that school board elections will be held in Iowa on September 11, I am asking women I encounter if they are planning on running. Usually I get averted eyes, blank looks, or the occasional quick dismissal. Sometimes I point out specific areas in which a particular woman could add value and then I get a slightly more thoughtful look before rejection.
The Des Moines Register reports on August 3 that 5 candidates will vie for 2 seats in the September 11, 2007 school board election in Des Moines. Marc Ward is seeking re-election. Patty Link is the PTA president. Matthew Harvey and Jonathan Narcisse have sought election before. Paul Knupp, Jr. is the fifth candidate.
Correction: The Des Moines school board has 7 members. Odd numbers are good to have because it helps to prevent ties. Currently, there are only 6 members on the board since Phil Roeder has resigned.
I am sorry that you had trouble in the past regarding our polling sites and the
polling pods.
I did want to let you know that you will be voting at your normal polling place. We have made the decision to eliminate the polling pods.
If you, or anyone, has questions, please direct them my way.
Keep up the good work on the blog.
Jamie Fitzgerald
Polk County Auditor
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for updating our readers about the polling sites. Glad to know you’re reading our blog! And thanks for the encouragement. It’s great to hear from readers. Looking forward to more conversation.
Sandy