School board races are non-partisan for first time

For the first time, candidates running for seats on the Grady County Board of Education will not have to declare party affiliation.
During the 2016 legislative session, the Grady County Board of Education petitioned the county’s legislative delegation to change school board elections from partisan to nonpartisan races.
Rep. Darlene Taylor introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives and Sen. Dean Burke supported the legislation in the Senate. It was signed into law by Governor Deal on May 3, 2016.
The 2018 election cycle will be the first one since the new legislation was passed into law.
“It was the belief of our current Board members that partisan politics did not serve our students well in Grady County.  The political agenda of the national parties should not be the issues of our local board.  Our local board should be focused on our students and our local issues,” said Grady County School Superintendent Dr. Kermit Gilliard.
Qualifying begins Monday, March 5 and concludes Friday, March 9. Candidates will qualify in the office of Grady County Probate Judge Denise Maddox. The fee to declare candidacy is $90.
The two seats up for election on the school board this year are District 2 and District 5. Incumbent District 2 board member Robbie Chaplin and incumbent District 5 board member John White have previously said they planned to qualify for re-election.