School board elections could become partisan in Plymouth area

  • 2024-02-23
The New Hampshire legislature is considering a proposal that would give school districts in the state the option to hold partisan elections for school board members.

Republican Dianne Pauer introduced House Bill 1099, which would permit political parties in the Plymouth school district and those throughout the state to nominate school board candidates. The candidates would then appear on the ballot with their party’s designation.

Pauer described the bill as an effort to help voters evaluate candidates; however, other lawmakers made the point that partisan labels might increase the divisiveness of local school board races.

Passage of the bill would only give local school districts the option; individual school districts would need their electorate to vote for the option to hold partisan elections for school board members.

During the election season, political parties and individual candidates often make ample use of printing services.

According to Pauer, the bill would allow candidates three options in those school districts that have chosen to participate. They could choose to run unaffiliated by filing to run with the school board clerk, as they do now; they could achieve party affiliation by collecting a minimum of 50 signatures from registered party members within their school district; or they could be nominated by a local party committee no less than five weeks before the election.

Only parties that have garnered a minimum of three percent of the vote in the last statewide election would be eligible to nominate a candidate.