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Incumbent school board candidates in Marion County are largely poised to return to their roles, per unofficial results on Tuesday.
This election, there were 40 school board candidates on ballots throughout the county for 33 seats on 10 district boards. Overall, roughly half the school board candidates in Marion County are incumbents, and a majority face at least one opponent.
Only two incumbent candidates, Kenneth Allen, current Indianapolis Public Schools board member, and Matthew Hopp, current school board member for Metropolitan School District of Pike Township, were poised to lose their seats, per unofficial results.
Elsewhere in Marion County, the difference between joining the school board for Metropolitan School District of Warren Township or not was roughly 200 votes. And in Perry Township, only two candidates were on the ballot for four open seats, but there were roughly 500 write-in votes that could impact who joins the board.
In Lawrence Township, where board disagreements about administrator pay and academic achievement spilled into the election, incumbent Crystal Puckett had the lead with 65% of the vote in the school district’s only contested race.
The role of the school board is not day-to-day operations but rather district oversight, creating and enforcing policy such as the student handbook, making sure bills are paid, approving the budget, and hiring a superintendent. School board elections are non-partisan.
The number of board members in total and up for election, as well as whether members are at-large or represent a specific district, varies by school district.
Winning candidates will start four-year terms in January.
With 100% of vote centers reporting, here are the unofficial results: (Results are not final until provisional and military ballots are counted by Nov. 15.) See IPS school board unofficial results here.
Speedway Schools is not included because the school board is appointed by the town board, not elected.
MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.
