MS SB2068

Establishes the "Nonpartisan School Board Election Act" requiring all county boards of education, municipal separate school district trustees, consolidated school district trustees, and special municipal separate school district trustees to be elected on a nonpartisan basis in staggered-term elections beginning November 2023.

School board members in Districts 1, 3, and 5 shall be elected in November 2023 and every four years thereafter concurrently with gubernatorial elections; members in Districts 2 and 4 shall be elected in November 2024 and every four years thereafter concurrently with presidential elections.

All school board members shall serve four-year terms and must be qualified electors residing in the district they represent; candidates must file nomination petitions signed by at least 50 qualified electors (or 20% if fewer than 100 electors in the area) between 60-90 days before the election.

Candidates receiving a majority of votes are elected; if no candidate receives a majority, the two candidates with the highest votes proceed to a runoff election held three weeks later with the majority winner declared elected.

Vacancies on school boards shall be filled by appointment within 60 days by remaining board members, with appointees serving until the next general election when a successor is elected for the remainder of the unexpired term.