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Senate committee approves listing party affiliation for school board ballots after heated debate
Summary
Senate File 98 passed the Senate Education Committee by 3–2 after testimony for and against listing party affiliation on school board ballots. Supporters, including the secretary of state, said party labels improve transparency; opponents said labels risk injecting partisanship into local school governance and will not increase turnout.
CHEYENNE — The Senate Education Committee on Jan. 20 approved Senate File 98, a bill that would print a school board candidate’s party affiliation on the general election ballot. The committee vote was 3–2.
Proponents said adding party labels increases transparency and helps voters align candidates with party platforms. Opponents said school boards should remain nonpartisan to preserve local deliberation and reduce partisan pressure.
Secretary of State Chuck Gray testified in support and urged the committee to set a clear date for determining a candidate’s party affiliation to avoid last‑minute party changes during the primary crossover period. “I’m in complete and total support of Senate File 98,” Gray said, and suggested…
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