School board elections take place throughout the state Tuesday. Ten districts have at least one contested school board race.
School board elections in Delaware historically have low voter turnout—although debates around remote learning and curriculum that addresses racism have raged nationally and locally the past year.
Erika Gutierrez, outreach and partnerships coordinator for the education non-profit DelawareCAN, says Tuesday is a day for Delaware’s kids.
“This pandemic has affected our schools in a tremendous way, as everybody knows, I wish that families that have kids and families that don’t have kids in schools, everybody goes out and votes,” she said.
Gutierrez adds school boards will play an important role in addressing the COVID learning loss. She says she wants to see people voting like it’s the General Election.
“We need people to make this a commitment,” she said. “Call their friends, call their family members, and get a sign when they are going, put a sign in their car, so everybody knows.”
The contested races are in Brandywine, Cape Henlopen, Christina, Colonial, Delmar, Lake Forest, Laurel, Red Clay, Smyrna and Woodbridge school districts.
The News Journal has reported that in several of the races, candidates endorsed by a grassroots conservative group go up against candidates backed by the district teachers’ union.
Voters can find information on the candidates at the League of Women Voters’ website Vote411. Polling places can be found on the state Department of Elections’ website. Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
