Campaign 101

State-by-State Resources

Below are links to information about how to run for school board in each state.

But we have noticed something in the last couple of years: it is increasingly difficult for individuals to run as school board candidates without some kind of organized force behind them.

One solution is for communities to form non-partisan political action committees to support good school board candidates.

And so, in addition to state-by-state information about how to run for school board, we also provide links to the offices where you can register a political action committee and learn about your state’s reporting requirements. (To hear how political action committees can be helpful, listen to the first three episodes of our podcast Democracy and Education.)

A few things to keep in mind if you are a candidate:

  • In most states your local board of elections should be your first stop. It should have the information you need to file for election. Usually you will need to submit a petition signed by some number of people living in your district. Make sure you follow the rules precisely and gather more signatures than you need. The wrong color paper or the signature of someone who moved could mean your candidacy gets derailed.

  • In general your secretary of state will have information about what financial reports you need to file. Before you accept your first dollar of campaign funds, make sure you file as a candidate and set up a separate campaign bank account with your official campaign name. You are setting up a business, and you need to make sure your personal money and your campaign money are completely separate. Not only is it good practice, it’s the law.

  • If you have trouble figuring something out, use the Connect page to reach out to us. We’ll try to find someone in your state to help decode the rules. Sometimes you need a guide through the thicket. And if you find a new resource we should feature, please let us know!

A few things to keep in mind if you are forming a political action committee:

  • In general the first stop is your secretary of state’s office, but some states have separate ethics offices that govern political action committees.

  • We made every effort to ensure that the links are current and relevant as of December 2024. But legislatures change laws and requirements, so if something is out of date, incomplete, or wrong, please let us know through the form on the Connect page so that we can correct it.

In addition to what is listed above, Democracy and Education has a number of tools for non-partisan school board candidates and local PACs to use, including:

  • A campaign schedule with to-do lists to keep you on track;

  • A sample monthly event calendar;

  • A how-to presentation on making a great campaign video;

  • Canvassing tips and more.

These tools draw on the wisdom of those who have run and won school board races—many against candidates backed by extremist organizations.

We will continue working to provide this kind of information. But because this site is public and extremist groups are always looking for an edge or a peek into our processes, we haven’t posted them.

If you are interested in those resources, fill out the form on the Connect Page so we can get to know you, your campaign, and your needs.

We’ll be in touch and let you know how to access our full suite of resources. Our only requirement is that you have a commitment to public education and democracy. It’s a low bar, but a critical one in this time of extremism.

Images by Kjrstie from Pixabay