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House approves partisan elections for Jackson County school board over objections
Summary
House passed House Bill 294, which makes Jackson County school-board elections partisan and sets election dates in even-numbered years; sponsors said it was requested by county commissioners, while the school board and some members opposed partisanization.
The North Carolina House passed House Bill 294 on second and third reading to make Jackson County Board of Education elections partisan and to set election dates in even-numbered years. Representative Clampett, the bill’s floor sponsor, said the measure came at the request of county commissioners and “does 2 things” — set dates and make the board partisan.
Opponents warned that partisan school-board elections would disenfranchise unaffiliated voters and inject partisan dynamics into local school governance. A Representative from Buncombe said the Jackson County school board opposed the bill and noted registration numbers to illustrate the problem: “As of February in Jackson County, there were 8,133 Democrats, 8,903 Republicans, and 12,761 unaffiliated voters,” and said the current board included unaffiliated members who would be affected.
The clerk recorded 65 votes in the affirmative and 47 in the negative on second reading before the bill was read a third time and ordered sent to the Senate. Supporters said the change responded to a request from county commissioners; opponents said it would limit participation from unaffiliated citizens.
