VITAL POLICY – Tennessee Legislature Approves Partisan School Board Races

State Senator Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) Co-Sponsored

With a myriad of legislative proposals floating in the third Extraordinary Session of the Tennessee General Assembly, bills aimed at making school board elections partisan were approved in fast succession by the house of representatives, and then by the senate on Friday October 29, 2021. House Bill 9072 was approved as amended in a floor vote on the regular house calendar, and later adopted outright by the senate in a substitution maneuver. Representative Scott Cepicky (R- Culleoka) moved the house bill and authoritatively fielded questions raised by its opponents. Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville) moved the action to substitute and conform to the house bill, unifying language from both chambers.

The approved legislation will permit local political parties to nominate candidates for school board by primary election, or by nominating convention. Independent candidates for school board will not be impacted, except for the qualifying period and filing deadlines.

Local Republican Party Approves Primary Call

The Jefferson County Republican Party made a resolution in favor of partisan school board elections, and has approved a call to nominate its candidates in the May 3, 2022 Primary Election, pending Governor Bill Lee’s signature, or the bill becoming law without his signature after 10 days.

Democrat legislators in both chambers rose in opposition to partisan school board races, stating that they wanted to keep “politics out of education”. Republicans argued that public education is inherently political and that voters deserve “transparency” in elections, stating that it is important for voters to “know what governing philosophy they are voting for”. It was republican votes that carried the legislation.

Source: David Seal is a retired Jefferson County educator, recognized artist, local businessman, and current Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. He has also served Jefferson County as a County Commissioner and is a lobbyist for the people on issues such as eminent domain, property rights, education, and broadband accessibility on the state level.