The deadline is fast approaching for anyone interested in running for a seat on a local school board. To file a declaration of candidacy to get your name on the ballot in the General Election in November, the deadline is this Friday, August 24, at 12 noon.

School board seats are non-partisan – candidates do not run as Republicans or Democrats.

Every school board in the county has some seats up for election.

Which seats are up for election this year?

On the White River Valley School Board, there are four seats up for election this year. They are District 6/Jefferson Township 2, currently held by Joe Decker; District 4/Fairplay and Cass Townships, currently held by David Reed; District 2/Stafford Township, currently held by Roger Shake; and the At-Large seat/covering all WRV territory, currently held by Brock Hostetter. The other three seats will not be up for election until 2020.

On the Bloomfield School Board, there are four seats up for election this year. They are District 1 in Richland Township, currently held by Keven McIntosh; District 1 in Richland Township, currently held by Matthew J. Miller; District 2 in Highland Township, currently held by Steven Jones; and District 3 in Taylor Township, currently held by Rachael Wiseman. The other three seats will not be up for election until 2020.

On the Eastern-Greene School Board, there are three seats up for election this year. They are a district seat in Beech Creek Township, currently held by Michael D. Adams, Jr.; the district seat in Center Township, currently held by Ronald Childress; and the district seat in Jackson Township, currently held by William Parsley. The other four seats will not be up for election until 2020.

On the Shakamak School Board, there are three seats up for election this year. They are District 2/Jasonville, currently held by John F. Gambill; District 2/Jasonville, currently held by Robert J. Wise; and District 3/Wright Township, currently held by James H. Yeryar. The other two seats will not be up for election until 2020.

On the Linton-Stockton School Board, there are three seats up for election this year. They are District 1/City of Linton, currently held by John D. Preble; District 2/township, currently held by Michael B. Perigo; and District 3/at-large, currently held by A. Ralph Witty. The other two seats will not be up for election until 2020.

What candidates have filed so far? 

As of 2 p.m. Monday, the following individuals had filed their candidacy: Terri R. Neighbors in Bloomfield District 1; Michael D. Adams, Sr. in Eastern-Greene Beech Creek Township; Tina Johnson in Eastern-Greene Center Township; John D. Preble in Linton District 1; Michael B. Perigo in Linton District 2; A. Ralph Witty in Linton District 3; James H. Yeryar in Shakamak District 3-Wright Township; and Roger Weaver in White River Valley At-Large.

What to do if you’re interested

If you’re interested in running for a seat on a school board, the clock is ticking. Visit the Voter Registration Office in the Greene County Courthouse – they have packets of information and forms to hand out to potential candidates. If you just want to ask some questions, call the Voter Registration Office. To get your candidacy filed on time, start as early as possible. School board candidates must submit a petition with the names of 10 registered voters in support of their candidacy, so a candidate needs to pick up a packet, collect the required signatures, then return it to the Voter Registration Office by the deadline of 12 noon on Friday.