What About the 2014 Knox County School Board Races? Glad You Asked.

I got a text from a good friend yesterday that asked who is running for the Knox County School Board seats. Well, here are the district seats and the current occupants of them that are up in 2014.

District One: Gloria Deathridge, currently serving as Board Vice Chair.
District Four: Lynn Fugate, currently serving as Board Chair.
District Six: Thomas Deakins (who has announced he is NOT running in ’14)
District Seven: Kim Sepesi Severance
District Nine: Pam Trainor

District One is much of East Knoxville and the inner city of Knoxville.

District Four is Sequoyah Hills, through Rocky Hill and into Southwest Knox County picking up Bluegrass.

District Six is Hardin Valley, Karns and Northwest Knox County. With Deakins NOT running, Terri Hill, a Social Worker has announced her candidacy and has been making the rounds.

District Seven is Powell and Halls.

District Nine is South of the River aka South Knoxville and Knox County.

You can always go here to the KGIS website. There is a voting districts map that you can view. You can also enter your address into the website and on your property card, it will tell you what voting districts you live in.

School Board Members are paid. The salary and monthly travel allowance is the exact same as what the County Commissioners make. Somewhere in the $25 – $27,000 a year range. You do not have to be a property owner, you can be a renter. But, you need to have lived in the district for one year.

You need to go to the Knox County Election Commission office obtain a qualifying petition on November 22, 2013 get 25 signatures of registered voters in that district and turn it in. The Election Commission will let you know if you have enough signatures, if not you can get more provided that you have it completed and Election Commission has certified all 25 before NOON on 2/20/2014.

Once you are a candidate, notify all the media, attend a lot of meetings, knock on doors of people in your district and ask for their votes. The Election Commission can provide you a list of voters. Put up signs etc.

The school board is non partisan, so you do not have to say you are a Republican or Democrat, (hint, Republicans get elected more often in Knox County. That might help you, there is no prohibition from a school board candidate saying I am a Republican or I love Obama) (kidding people, lighten up)

If there are 3 or more candidates and no one candidate gets 50% plus 1 vote. There is a run off on August 7, 2014 between the two top vote getters. So you get to campaign some more.

Parents, Committed Citizens that want to ensure our Childrens Education is sound, fiscally conservative and the best in the world. Get out there and run, run, run.