Why some school board candidates are cross-filing in the May primary
Democrats and Republicans, with two distinct belief systems, make up our school boards, meant to be apolitical.
The primary election happening Tuesday, May 20, will have candidates listed on ballots for either Democratic or Republican voters, with 42 candidates spread out across eight public districts. But the candidates here in Butler County, specifically ones on both ballots, will tell you that, despite party affiliation, school boards should not be about party politics.
“In my opinion, school boards should not be confined to any one political party agenda,” Al Vavro, Butler school board president, said. “The mission of any school board should be to do everything possible to meet the academic, emotional, behavioral and mental health needs of its student population while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association said in its candidate guide that in order to be effective as a school board director, one should focus on the entire district, regardless of others’ views. They should approach the role with “understanding and respect for overseeing the entire district and ensuring the overarching goal of student success.”
“Pursuing narrow goals of a specific issue can lead to ineffective governance of the district. Successful board directors understand that their role involves overseeing the entire district and ensuring the overall success of the schools,” the association said.
The primary election is largely based in political parties nominating candidates. In Pennsylvania, candidates seeking nomination for political parties, including the Republican, Democratic and other parties certified by the secretary of the commonwealth, are nominated through primary elections.
However, some candidates — those running for school boards and judge positions for instance — have a third, less partisan option.
A number of school board candidates in Butler County will be cross-filed, appearing on both Democratic and Republican voters’ primary ballots on May 20. Voters from both parties will have an opportunity to advance those candidates to the general election.
“Local elections are more important than national, they do effect lives,” Eric DiTullio, Seneca Valley board president, said. “People care more about bigger, federal elections, but local ones affect day to day things in life, and school board is one of the most important. Quality of the school district, whether you’re a good place to live, are things that matter to people.”
The set up of school board elections can vary for the general elections. In an at-large election plan, candidates must be residents of the school district, but they can live anywhere within the district. These candidates are elected by all voters within the district. Under a plan with regions, such as Seneca Valley, the school district is divided into regions, and each region elects school board directors who reside within that region. Voters from each region select an equal number of directors, who must live within that region in the district while in office.
For primary elections, requirements are derived from party support. For part of the requirement to become a school board candidate in Pennsylvania, you must file nominating petitions signed by at least 10 registered members of the political party for whichever party nomination you are pursuing. A petition signature is valid only if the signer would be eligible to vote in that party’s primary election, in addition to residency.
Pennsylvania’s Election Code does allow candidates to “cross-file” for nominations, allowing them to seek the endorsement of more than one major political party simultaneously. Cross-filing means that a candidate can appear on multiple party ballots during the primary elections, potentially increasing their chances of advancing to the general election. Candidates who cross-file must fulfill the same petition requirements for both parties.
The school boards association emphasizes that serving on a school board can be a rewarding opportunity to make a positive impact in your community. The chance help shape the future of education in one’s community means one should approach the role with respect for the entire district and focusing on student success.
The idea of serving the entire school district and community has been a common one among school board candidates in Butler County. In addition, some candidates are also rejecting the idea that partisan politics should play any role in how a school board operates.
“Ultimately, I believe that we all have the same goals of quality education and efficient use of tax dollars, regardless of our political affiliations. I am not interested in injecting partisan division into our community and schools,” Allyson Mazzoni, a Seneca Valley school board candidate, said.
Some candidates will embrace their party affiliation, even while cross-filing for the election and wanting to embrace openness to the entire community. Multiple candidates, such as Melanie Zembrzuski, who is running for reelection on the Freeport school board, and Moniteau board president Michael Panza, have touted their endorsements by the Butler County Republican Committee, and openly emphasize they are registered Republicans.
When voting for school boards happens in the May 20 primary, candidates will run on partisan ballots, with some cross-filing as both Democrats and Republicans, but not everyone. Board members agree that occasionally school board meetings can become contentious due to disagreements with each other.
That said, their campaigns will focus more on district needs, like fiscal responsibility, improving infrastructure and supporting educators.
“I am running on the Republican party line and am honored to have received the endorsement of the Butler County Republican Committee. At the same time, I have cross-filed for both the Republican and Democratic parties, reflecting my commitment to serving the entire community, regardless of political affiliation,” Zembrzuski said.
