5 Reasons To Pay Attention to Local School Board Elections

Introduction and summary

If you cannot name a member of your local school board, you are not alone. Even though school board members are the nation’s largest group of elected officials, their role in shaping education remains opaque for many parents, educators, and voters.

More than 82,000 school board members in the United States make important decisions about school districts’ budgets, curriculum, and leadership every day. Yet school board elections are plagued by low voter turnout, sometimes as low as to  percent. Uncontested seats and vacancies are also common: A Ballotpedia study of more than 5,400 school board elections in 2023 found that about 53 percent of school board seats were uncontested.

It is time to do better. This report lays out five reasons why every voter should participate in their local school board elections8 and discusses how policy can encourage inclusive elections and form school boards that truly reflect and serve their communities.