Zones, Boards and Votes

Please join the Salem-Keizer NAACP for a virtual event intended to inform the public about a new proposal to change Salem-Keizer school board election to a zone voting system.

The event is Tuesday, March 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. on Zoom.

The Salem-Keizer NAACP supports this resolution as a way to introduce more equity into school board representation, and to give people of color more chances to earn a spot on the board.

While we support the resolution, the event on March 2 is meant to be educational and to teach the public more about our school board elections and how the resolution might change them.

School board member Jesse Lippold Peone, who sponsored the resolution, will be at this event to discuss why he brought forward the proposal. We also will give the public chances to ask questions and give their perspectives on the idea.

Zoom Link
Click on this link on March 2 to join our event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88388868024?pwd=L3puRmdJNzNuRHpXTGtUUzRpSnk4UT09

More About the Proposal
Statesman Journal: In an effort to diversify, some propose overhauling Salem-Keizer school board elections
KMUZ Community Radio: Interview with Jim Green, president of Oregon School Boards Association

Submit Testimony
The Salem-Keizer School Board is scheduled to revisit this proposal at their meeting on March 9. Visit their website closer to that date to see the agenda and to submit public comments: https://salkeiz.k12.or.us/schoolboard/

Text of the Resolution
Resolution No. 202021-3
Change Board Member Election System from At-Large to By-Zone

Background/Discussion
Our school board elections are currently run as such: a board member must reside in their zone but if voted in at large. There are two big problems with this:

Financial: School board elections recently have reached as high as $50,000 for one candidate running to serve on a non-partisan, unpaid, school board direction position. This creates huge barriers for those who want to run for school board and would represent their zone well, but their opponent has higher name recognition across both cities and has a lot more money.
Race: There are significant differences in race across the different zones. It is possible that an at-large system discourages people of color to vote or run for office where they might feel empowered to run/vote if the elections were more local and within their own local communities.

By adopting this resolution, we will ensure that everyone has a fair shot at representing their community no matter their race, gender, wealth, age, or religion. This will continue our commitment to our own Equity Lens.

Recommendations/Board Action
This item will come before the board at a future meeting for action, with Director Lippold recommending the Salem-Keizer School Board to approve the resolution to change our election system to a by-zone instead of an at-large voting system.

Mission Statement:
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

Vision Statement:
The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.