Macon County commissioners vote to remove consideration of partisan school board elections after Board of Education protest

The Macon County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on Dec. 12 to remove from consideration a previously tabled item that would have advanced discussion about designating Board of Education elections as partisan.

Jim Breedlove, chair of the Macon County Board of Education, and board member Deidre Breeden presented a resolution (adopted by the Board of Education on Nov. 27) opposing partisan elections for the school board. The resolution argues that partisan elections would disrupt nonpartisan governance of school policy, could force independent or federal employees to petition for ballot access or choose between employment and office under Hatch Act concerns, and would shift focus away from students.

During the county meeting, Commissioner Antoine moved, and Commissioner Young seconded, a motion to terminate Item 14C (the discussion and consideration of identifying party affiliation for school-board candidates). County Manager Derek Roland clarified the motion’s scope before the vote. The motion passed 4-1, with Commissioner Shearl the sole dissenting vote.

Board members who presented the resolution told commissioners they were concerned the county discussion occurred without prior notice to the Board of Education and that other immediate operational issues (for example, matters involving Nantahala sewer and the middle-school track) had not received comparable attention. The county took no further action on school board election policy at the meeting.