The Impact of Partisanship on Local School Board Elections

• In Event: School Boards Under Fire: Governance, Demographics, and Politics

Abstract

For much of U.S. history, education was governed by nonpartisan, local school boards. This arrangement made most school board elections low-engagement affairs, leaving them susceptible to organized interests (Anzia 2013; Moe 2011). Whereas teacher unions once were the dominant interest group, new actors are targeting school boards as they promote their political agenda (Henig et al., 2018). Recent actors are fueling partisan polarization. Using an exit poll of voters in 4 elections, this study will generate new knowledge about voter decision making and the impacts of rising partisanship in school board elections. As a growing number of states consider legislation to make school board elections partisan, this research provides insights as to possible positive and negative consequences of this change.

Authors

• Rebecca Jacobsen, Michigan State University

• Cameron J. Arnzen, Brown University