New Indiana law gives school board candidates option to declare political party

INDIANAPOLIS -- A new law is set to go into effect that would allow school board candidates to register with a political party ahead of the upcoming school year.




Senate Bill 287, which Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed into law on May 6, gives school board candidates the option of publicly stating their political affiliation or running for the position without declaring a party. The bill will join several new laws that officially go into effect on July 1 after Braun signed them during the 2025 legislative session.




Under the new law, school board candidates must list their political party affiliation or state that they are running as an independent candidate. Candidates can also elect "not to disclose any affiliation with a political party or that the candidate is not affiliated with a political party and does not identify as an independent candidate."




Candidates who opt not to run in affiliation with a political party or as an independent candidate will have a blank space appear next to their name, according to the bill's language. The bill also specifies that a straight party vote does not count for any candidate for a school board office.

The bill was authored by State Sen. Gary Byrne (R-District 47), State Sen. Chris Garten (R-District 45) and State Sen. Blake Doriot (R-District 12). It was hotly contested by fellow lawmakers and active school board members before the Senate gave it final approval in April.




Proponents of the bill argued that it would provide transparency to parents and community members regarding school board candidates and their views on issues such as raising taxes or specific policies. Others criticized the bill for politicizing a position that they say has been historically nonpartisan.




During a committee session in February, lawmakers heard from community members who said that partisan issues have never been a problem for school boards.




During that February meeting, however, Byrne said he found school boards to be "partisan positions" after serving on an undisclosed school board for nearly a decade.




"To me, it's already partisan, but it's hidden," Byrne said. "Raising taxes and making policy. I think the citizens should have the right to understand where they stand."




State Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-District 40) also weighed in at the time, saying the bill would "inject politics into one place that it absolutely does not belong."




The bill passed in the Indiana Senate on April 24 by a 26-24 vote before it landed on Braun's desk. The complete bill can be viewed online here.





via: https://fox59.com/indianapolitics/new-indiana-law-gives-school-board-candidates-option-to-declare-political-party/