Partisan Elections 2

This means, those running for county school board election will have to also run in the May primary as a democrat, republican or independent. The same for Lenoir City except their primary would be in August.

Nashville Tennessean-Candidates for local school boards in Tennessee can now run in partisan races thanks to legislation signed into law by Gov Bill Lee Friday.

Lawmakers passed the bill during a late-October special legislative session largely focused on rolling back COVID-19 restrictions and the authority of local government entities across the state.

The GOP-backed effort also follows a national push by Republicans to bring partisan politics to local school boards.

Backers of the bill hope it will increase transparency and accountability for school board members. But the move also drew concerns from current school board members, Democrats and even some Republicans themselves.

Lawmakers originally sought to require school board elections be conducted on a partisan basis but with several Republican lawmakers speaking out against it, the bill was amended to take a softer position making partisan elections optional instead.

The bill passed the House in a 52-39 vote and the Senate approved the measure 20-10, just over the 17 needed to pass in the upper chamber.

"The lack of transparency [on] our school boards right now of who is running for office, the groundswell came from our parents and we’ve seeing this across our state in the disconnect between those who are sitting on our school boards and the people who elect them," Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, said on the House floor.

Previously, local school board elections were nonpartisan in Tennessee and candidates were barred from campaigning as a nominee or representative of a political party when running for school board.

Now, local political parties are allowed to direct county election officials to hold a party primary for the seats.