Turnout for Delaware’s school board elections is typically low, but that trend has changed in the recent years since the onset of the pandemic.
For example, The News Journal reports Brandywine School District reported a 574% increase in voter turnout between 2019 and 2020, with similar upward trends in other districts.
There are 12 districts with contested races Tuesday.
Among them is the Smyrna School District where 2 seats open have drawn a total of 7 candidates. District voters head to the polls just over a week after superintendent Patrik Williams was placed on emergency paid leave.
In the Red Clay School District three candidates are vying for one seat.
There’s also two contested races in the Colonial School District.
Recent candidate forums saw issues such as school discipline, the role of school resource officers, district spending and how students should learn about race in the classroom highlighted.
The polls are open from 7am to 8pm. Polling places for each district can be found at elections.delaware.gov.
Voters do not need to be registered to vote in school board elections, but are required to provide proof of identity and address.
Options include a Delaware driver's license, Delaware ID card, Work ID card with photo and home address, or a piece of U. S. postal material with a street address.
