Five metro school districts have canceled or are expected to cancel school board elections this year for lack of contested races.
Aurora, Cherry Creek, Adams 12 and Commerce City boards have voted to cancel their elections because they have uncontested races. Littleton’s board is expected to vote to do the same tonight.
Mapleton has three uncontested races but will run the election anyway because the district has a $30 million bond election and $1.97 million mill- levy request on the ballot.
Lack of interested candidates indicates people don’t want to volunteer for something that is a thankless job, said John Albright, spokesman for Adams 14 in Commerce City.
“It is a massively challenging position to be in for no money,” he said. “Look at what is going on with public education funding in Colorado. Who wants to be in a political office where you are asking for more money for taxpayers or cutting and slashing? Why would I want to sign up for that? It’s your worst nightmare.”
Elsewhere, however, races are heating up.
In Denver, candidates have turned in required forms for the four seats on the seven-member board that are up for election. Only one is an uncontested race. Five people are running for a seat that represents northeast Denver. A drawing will be held tonight to determine placement on the Nov. 3 mail-in ballot.
Board elections also will be held in Jefferson County, Douglas County, Boulder Valley, Westminster, St. Vrain, Englewood and Brighton.
According to the National School Boards Association, members tend to spend about 25 hours per month on board business, and those in large districts spend 20 or more hours a week on board activities.
Jennifer Reeve, assistant executive director at the Colorado Association of School Boards, said she is no longer surprised when school board races fail to generate interest.
“A school board position is a hard job,” Reeve said. “These people put in lots and lots of hours for no pay. But board members we talk to also say it’s very rewarding.”
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
