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201.1 School Board Elections

201.1 School Board Elections
  1. PURPOSE

 The purpose of this policy is to provide an outline for School Board elections.

  1. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

 “School District” means an independent or special school district, as outlined in Minn. Stat. § 120A.05. Except as provided by law, the Minnesota Election Law applies to school district elections.

The qualifications for candidates filing to become a district School Board member are:

  • Eligible voter in the state of Minnesota
  • At least 21 years of age when assuming office
  • Resident of district for thirty days preceding the General Election
  • Has not filed for another office in the same election
  • Has not been convicted of an offense for which they are required to register as a predatory offender under Minnesota Statutes 243.166
  • The filing fee for a school district office is $2.
  1. PRIMARY ELECTION FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS
    1. The School Board of a school district may, by resolution adopted by April 15 of any year, decide to choose nominees for school board by a primary. The resolution, when adopted, is effective for all ensuing elections of board members in that school district until it is revoked. If the board decides to choose nominees by primary and if there are more than two candidates for a specified school board position or more than twice as many school board candidates as there are at-large school board positions available, the school district must hold a primary.

The school district primary must be held on the second Tuesday in August in the year when the school district general election is held.

The clerk shall give notice of the primary in the manner provided in section 205A.07.

Additional information on school district primaries can be  found at MN  Statute 205A.03.

  1. GENERAL ELECTION

The general election in each school district must be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of either odd-numbered or even-numbered years.

Additional information on the school district general election can be found at MN Statute 205A.04.

  1. SPECIAL ELECTION

Special elections must be held for a school district on a question in which the voters are authorized by law to pass judgment. The School Board may on its own motion call for a special election to vote on any matter requiring approval of the voters of the district.

Additional information on school district special elections can be found at MN Statute 205A.05.

  1. CANDIDATES, FILING

An individual who is eligible and desires to become a candidate for an office to be voted on at the election must file an affidavit of candidacy with the school district clerk. The affidavit must be in substantially the same form as that in section 204B.06, subd. 1. In school districts that have adopted a resolution to choose nominees for school board by a primary election, affidavits of candidacy must be filed with the school district clerk no earlier than the 84th day and no later than the 70th day before the second Tuesday in August in the year when the school district general election is held. In all other school districts, affidavits of candidacy must be filed no earlier than the 91st day and no later than the 77th day before the school district general election.

Additional information on school district candidates and filing can be found at MN Statute 205A.06.

  1. NOTICE

The clerk of a school district shall give two weeks published notice and give ten days posted notice of a school district primary, general or special election, stating the time of the election, the location of each polling place, the offices to be filled, and all propositions or questions to be voted upon at the primary, general or special election. The notice shall be posted in the administrative offices of the school district for public inspection.

Additional information on school district election notices can be found at MN Statute 205A.07.

Additional information on school district elections can be found at MN Statute 205A.08- 205A.13.

  1. CAMPAIGNING ON SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY AND IN FACILITIES

 In order to maintain the practice of neutrality, neither district property or district facilities shall be used to promote the candidacy of office seekers. They may be used, however, by district personnel or community groups to hold public forums for all candidates to gather information.

  1. The staff or students shall not be contacted on school property to promote a candidacy.
  2. The distribution or display of materials in support of a candidate for office shall not be allowed on district property – this includes, and is not limited to, email to district staff at their district-provided email address.
  3. The solicitation of votes, workers or donations shall not be allowed on district property.

In no way should this policy restrict an individual board members’ activity as a citizen, off of district property, in support or opposition to any issue.

Legal References

  • Minnesota Statutes, Chapters 200-212

POLICY ADOPTED: January 25, 2007

POLICY REVIEWED: February 2011

POLICY REVISED: March 24, 2011, April 23, 2015, August 17, 2017

 

Policy