Partisan school board elections are here. That means, for the first time in Tennessee history, voters might see information on which political party each school board candidate is affiliated with.
The difference boils down to a single letter on the ballot: D for Democrat, R for Republican, I for Independent. But some believe it’ll still be a game changer.
School boards play a crucial role in ensuring student and parent needs are met. They help decide the annual budget, hire and evaluate the superintendent and adopt district-wide policies.
For a long time in Tennessee, political parties weren’t explicitly part of school board elections. But last year, Republican lawmakers wanted to change that. They say school issues have become increasingly political, so it makes sense for school board members to reveal their affiliations.
But critics say, politics and partisanship should stay as far from schools as possible. That’s why last year, Nashville’s current school board publicly opposed the change.
Despite the pushback, seven Democrats, four Republicans and three Independents are running across the four races. Primary elections will take place May 3, but early voting begins April 13.
District 2
- Current school board member Rachael Anne Elrod (D)
- Edward Arnold (I)
- Janeen Kingma (R)
- Todd Pembroke (R)
- Mark Woodward (R)
District 4
- Current school board member John Little (D)
- Berthena Nabaa-McKinney (D)
- Kelli Phillips (R)
District 6
- Current school board member Fran Bush (I)
- Natalie Martin (D)
- Cheryl D. Mayes (D)
District 8
- Erin O’Hara Block (D)
- Chris Moth (D)
- Amy Pate (I)
Nashville isn’t the only school district holding primaries this election cycle. Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford and Sumner counties plan to participate too.
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