School Board Elections

To run for school board, visit your county clerk’s office to request a packet of material about running for office.

• School board elections held the third Tuesday in September
• Deadline to file candidate petition is 60 days before the election (click here for 2010 election calendar)
• Candidate needs 20 signatures of qualified registered voters from his/her district on petition
• Runoffs, if needed, are held three weeks after the election

The publication, Running for Public Office, published by the State of Arkansas, contains information about circulating petitions, certifying as a candidate, information sheets, campaign contributions, financial statements and other important facts. Access Running for Public Office online under the publications section at the Secretary of State website by clicking here. Candidate contribution and expenditure report online filing also is under the candidate and filing information section on the same website.

School board candidate qualifications:

• Must be a qualified elector of the school district served whose name has been filed and certified by the county clerk of the county in which the school district is domiciled for administrative purposes ACA §§6-13-616, 6-14-111
• Must be a U.S. citizen Amendment 51, §6
• Must be an Arkansas resident Amendment 51, §6
• Must be a resident of the district and respective electoral zone if elected from zones ACA §§6-13-631, 6-13-633
• Must not be an employee of the school district served ACA §6-13-616
• Must not claim the right to vote in another county or state Amendment 51, §6
• Must not presently be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction Amendment 51, §6
• Must never have been convicted of embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery, or other infamous crime Article 5, §9