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Committee approves bill to standardize how school board candidates appear on ballots
Summary
The House Elections and Apportionment Committee passed Senate Bill 25, a technical change to ensure school board candidates are listed uniformly across counties, after author and election officials said it resolves cross-county inconsistencies and clarifies ballot presentation rules.
Senator Byrne presented Senate Bill 25 as a narrowly targeted, technical update to how school board candidates are listed on ballots. "It is just a technical change," he told the committee, saying the measure does not change who may run but ensures an "orderly and uniform ballot presentation."
Election administrators from the Indiana Election Division testified the bill provides needed clarity for counties. "It just gives us, as election administrators, direction on how to put school board candidates on the ballot and ensures that throughout the state, we'll have consistency," said Valerie Vareja of the Indiana Election Division. Matthew Kochiver, also with the division, described the bill as matching procedures used for other partisan local offices and said it responds to confusion reported at an administrators' conference.
Committee members asked about alternative approaches, including alphabetical ordering by last name. Representative Jackson said he preferred the alphabetical approach but recorded a yes vote. After testimony and brief discussion the committee moved and seconded to pass the bill and called the roll. The chair left the vote open briefly to allow an absent member to vote; the final recorded tally was 11–0 in favor.
The measure now advances from committee for consideration by the full chamber.
