Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that would establish a nonpartisan process for the election of State School Board members was sent to the Senate after a unanimous recommendation by the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday.
House Majority Whip Francis Gibson, R-Mapleton, said HB186 is a "compromise" in what has been a lengthy and divisive debate about how State School Board candidates should be vetted after a federal judge ruled the current system unconstitutional.
Gibson's bill would allow candidates a place on the ballot if they collect 2,000 signatures from voters in the state district as well as the local school district where the candidate resides.
If more than two candidates in a district get the required signatures, they would be placed on the primary election ballot. The two candidates who get the most votes in the primary election would then be put on the general election ballot.
The bill also proposes to remove nonvoting members from the State School Board and increase board members' pay.
Gibson said the bill would require candidates to become acquainted with their constituents.
"This bill simply says you have to make an effort. Is 2,000 signatures a pain? Absolutely," Gibson said.
Utah's current system uses a nominating committee to make candidate recommendations to the governor, who then selects names to be put on the ballot.
LeAnn Wood was a member of the 2014 State School Board nominating committee. She said she was designated as a representative for parents, but the system needs more parent involvement.
"As I went through the process, I often asked myself, 'Who am I to represent every parent in this state? I'm one voice when there are thousands of parents,'" Wood said. "I think this bill gives parents back their voice."
But Nick Pond, a retired teacher, said getting signatures is doable even if a candidate is ill-suited for a position on the State School Board.
"A small amount of signatures can be gained from organizations employing their members," Pond said. "But the public whom these people serve really need to be able to vet them as a general process, and I don't see another way to do that other than having it partisan in nature."
Gibson's nonpartisan election bill now goes to the Senate for debate, while Ogden Republican Sen. Ann Millner's bill for partisan elections, SB195, awaits discussion in the House. Email: mjacobsen@deseretnews.com Twitter: MorganEJacobsen
