School Board Elections and Recalls
Active community members like you elect school board officials. Running for your local school board or voting in your school board elections is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that parent voices are heard, money is spent wisely, and good education policies are created.
When are my school board elections?
School board election timing varies by state. Ballotpedia lists the election dates for the US’s 200 largest school districts.
If your school district is not listed on Ballotpedia, you can likely find your school board election on your school district or county website.
Ballotpedia also has a helpful sample ballot tool, where you can see what measures and representative which you can find here. Plug in your address to see what measures and representatives you’ll cast a vote for on election day.
How does a recall work?
A recall is one way to hold school board members accountable for failing to meet the needs of students and the school community. A recall is the process by which members of a school boards are removed from office and replaced during a non-election year. The process typically looks like this:
- Petitioners, which consist of voting members within a school district, submit documents to their city or county election office that state why the school board member is not fit for office. Then, city or county officials must approve the petition.
- If the petition is approved, the petitioners must collect a minimum number of signatures to call for a vote.
- Election officials confirm that the minimum number of signatures was gathered. State law determines when the election will happen.
Read more on school board recalls from Ballotpedia here.