Whitko Changes Board Makeup
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Tim [email protected]
The action would create two new overlapping districts in the cross-county school system. Whitko Superintendent Steve Clason said the new resolution is designed to make voting simpler, but keep the benefits of the current voting system in which all voters may vote for candidates representing each district.[[In-content Ad]]"It's always been open voting, and that's the way we wanted to keep it," Clason said.
The school corporation's original three districts will remain the same. District 1 consists of Washington and Monroe townships in Kosciusko County, District 2 consists of Richland Township in Whitley County and Jackson Township in Kosciusko County, District 3 consists of Cleveland Township in Whitley County. Districts 4 and 5 are the newly added districts. District 4 includes Washington, Monroe and Jackson townships in Kosciusko County. District 5 includes Richland and Cleveland townships in Whitley County.
Currently, voters choose five candidates to represent the three districts. Each district was required to have at least one and no more than two representatives on the board. Clason said this led to confusing combinations on the ballot. In May's school board elections, voters had to read carefully because, if they voted for the maximum number of candidates allowed from each district, they would have voted for one too many candidates and their ballots would not be counted.
To clear up the confusion, the new resolution calls for only one candidate to be elected from each of the five districts. Terms will be set so candidates from the three original districts are up for election one year and candidates from the two new districts will be up for election the next.
The resolution will be sent to the Indiana Department of Education for approval.
According to the school corporation, voters have the right to petition for alternative plans or to protest this plan. Petitions are to be filed with the county clerk.
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The action would create two new overlapping districts in the cross-county school system. Whitko Superintendent Steve Clason said the new resolution is designed to make voting simpler, but keep the benefits of the current voting system in which all voters may vote for candidates representing each district.[[In-content Ad]]"It's always been open voting, and that's the way we wanted to keep it," Clason said.
The school corporation's original three districts will remain the same. District 1 consists of Washington and Monroe townships in Kosciusko County, District 2 consists of Richland Township in Whitley County and Jackson Township in Kosciusko County, District 3 consists of Cleveland Township in Whitley County. Districts 4 and 5 are the newly added districts. District 4 includes Washington, Monroe and Jackson townships in Kosciusko County. District 5 includes Richland and Cleveland townships in Whitley County.
Currently, voters choose five candidates to represent the three districts. Each district was required to have at least one and no more than two representatives on the board. Clason said this led to confusing combinations on the ballot. In May's school board elections, voters had to read carefully because, if they voted for the maximum number of candidates allowed from each district, they would have voted for one too many candidates and their ballots would not be counted.
To clear up the confusion, the new resolution calls for only one candidate to be elected from each of the five districts. Terms will be set so candidates from the three original districts are up for election one year and candidates from the two new districts will be up for election the next.
The resolution will be sent to the Indiana Department of Education for approval.
According to the school corporation, voters have the right to petition for alternative plans or to protest this plan. Petitions are to be filed with the county clerk.
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