How will future school board members be elected? Voters will decide

Residents will soon have the option to transform school board elections or solidify the current process with a “yes” or “no” vote in November.

Early voting runs from Wednesday to Nov. 3, leading up to the General Election on Nov. 6, and a referendum sits at the bottom of each ballot:

“Shall the election of Manatee School Board members be changed to single member representation beginning in 2020, in accordance with and described in Resolution 2017-03?”

Manatee’s five school board members are required to live in the districts they represent, but their election is decided by voters throughout the county. Single-member representation would ensure that each member is elected only by residents of their corresponding district.

Supporters say the change would allow more people to run for the school board, removing the added costs of running in a countywide election.

Likewise, supporters have said the new system would put a damper on special interest groups and their donations.

But opponents say the opposite effect is possible. Some believe single-member representation would divide board members, who may fight for the betterment of their respective districts instead of the county as a whole.

The discussion began with a board meeting on Feb. 14, 2017. Two public speakers supported the change, while another warned of the unintended consequences.

Edward Goff said the referendum would bring a higher level of fairness to school board elections.

More money equates to more mailers, receptions, advertisements, robocalls and, ultimately, more name recognition, he said at the meeting.

“An interest group could provide a lot of money for a candidate and give that candidate a huge advantage, because it’s very difficult for an individual candidate to raise enough money to cover the whole county,” he said. “Also, most voters don’t take the time to study the candidates in districts other than their own.”

His sentiments were echoed by Norm Nelson, a regular at board meetings.

“The only reason some people vote is because they see the 16 miles of signs out there, that somebody could afford to do,” Nelson said.

However, the referendum could actually foster more special interests, said Philip Brown, then the president for United Way of Manatee.

“If you are voted in by groups, you may be inclined to want to serve the interests of that group, when your interests ought to be the entire district,” he said.

Board member Dave Miner moved to approve the resolution. He said it would remove unnecessary costs and lead to more participation in the elections.

The change, he said, would result in better communication between voters and board members as the population continues to grow in Manatee and its five districts.

Charlie Kennedy, then the board chair, seconded Miner’s motion. The motion failed in a 2-3 vote, with Gina Messenger, Karen Carpenter and John Colon dissenting.

“I would not support this, because I represent all the students, all the staff and all of the people in Manatee County,” Colon said at the time.

Messenger said the board should find a different solution for the issue of special interest groups and election costs. Perhaps the board could introduce a limit on donation amounts, avoiding any division the single-member districts may cause.

Carpenter, who left the board in 2017, later reversed her stance and effected another vote. She said residents should decide what’s best for the county, and that board unity would endure under a new system.

A motion to include resolution 2017-03 on the ballot was passed with a 3-2 vote on March 14, 2017. Colon and Messenger cast the dissenting votes.

“I think we really need to democratize the whole process here,” Carpenter said.

This story was originally published October 23, 2018 at 6:00 AM.