SB194: Partisan Races For School Boards?

It seems that state and local school board elections will become openly partisan. They were partisan before, but people had a hard time nailing it down as such because they saw the word "nonpartisan" next to the candidates name on a ballot. Senator Bramble, chief sponser of the bill, got it completely wrong when he said that SB194 would result in "more visible campaigns", referring to a new party and special interest involvement.

Getting advocacy groups like the pro-voucher Parents for Choice in Education involved in school board races, Bramble said, would be "a very positive outcome. That's what we're hoping for."

I'm afraid that Parents for Choice already contributed in this election cycle to the "nonpartisan" R. Chris Barden who competed for the state school board. His campaign could not have been more "visible". Visibility is what $35,000 from PFC buys you. In reality, the bill will result in certifiably partisan campaigns because people will no longer be fooled into thinking that these candidates are beholden to no ideology.

We didn't need a bill to tell us that, but it helps. Special-interest didn't need this bill in order to participate in the process.

The voter should understand that partisan is as partisan does.

Desnews:Partisan Races For School Boards?