Last month voters across Delaware decided who will run our schools . Today, DelawareCAN is proud to release a first-of-its-kind interactive guide to Delaware school board election results.

The importance of school boards have not gone unnoticed especially amongst Delaware students. In May, DelawareCAN’s Youth Advocacy Council hosted the first ever student-led school board candidates forum to give everyday Delawareans — students and parents — the opportunity to hear from the candidates.

SEE HOW MANY VOTES IT TAKES TO RUN OUR SCHOOLS!

Using our interactive tool, you’ll be able to gain important insights that are relevant to conversations about school board election reform in DE, such as:

  • It only takes an average of 309 votes to get a 5-year term on a Delaware school board. In one of the state’s largest districts, Christina School District, a mere 378 votes (out of over 120,000 eligible voters) will get you a 5-year term and oversight over more than $250 million of taxpayer resources.
  • The most votes any candidate has received over the last decade is 1,762  and candidates have won school board seats with as few as 65 votes.
  • The closest school board race was decided by two votes. As it stands, in most cases, the losing candidates have no opportunity to run again for another 5 years.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE NUMBERS!

Once elected these individuals serve five-year terms. To put that in perspective that is longer than our Governor. What does this mean for Democracy and our ability to decide who will run our schools? Lawmakers in Dover introduced House Bill 134 which will shorten the term length from five years to three years. This change will allow voters to decide more often who will serve on school boards. Click here to write your legislator and tell them you support HB 134. 

Daniel Walker is the Executive Director of DelawareCAN.

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