The Polk County Board of Education historically elected members in a nonpartisan plurality election method. With the recent passage of NC House Bill 66, beginning in 2024, the Polk County Board of Education members will be elected on a partisan basis. Candidates wishing to run as unaffiliated will need to complete the petition process to appear on the ballot*.
SESSION LAW 2023-32
HOUSE BILL 66
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR PARTISAN ELECTIONS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE
CATAWBA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, HICKORY CITY BOARD OF
EDUCATION, NEWTON-CONOVER CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND POLK
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION; AND TO REQUIRE THE BUNCOMBE COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH ELECTORAL DISTRICTS FOR ELECTING
MEMBERS BEGINNING IN 2024; AND TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF THE
BUNCOMBE BOARD OF EDUCATION ARE ELECTED IN A NONPARTISAN
PRIMARY AND ELECTION BEGINNING IN 2026.
SECTION 4.(e) To maintain the staggering of terms, members of the Polk County
Board of Education shall be elected as follows:
(1) In 2024 and quadrennially thereafter, one member shall be elected from the
Township of Saluda, the Township of Tryon, and the Township of White Oak
to serve four-year terms.
(2) In 2026 and quadrennially thereafter, one member shall be elected from the
Township of Cooper's Gap, the Township of Columbus, the Township of
Green Creek, and the Township of Tryon to serve four-year terms.
Click here for an overview of HB 66. For information on timing of primaries, click here.
*Article 11.
Nomination by Petition.
§ 163-122. Unaffiliated candidates nominated by petition.
(3) If the office is a county office or a single county legislative district, file written
petitions with the chair or director of the county board of elections supporting
the voter's candidacy for a specified county office. These petitions must be
filed with the county board of elections on or before 12:00 noon on the day of
the primary election and must be signed by qualified voters of the county equal
in number to four percent (4%) of the total number of registered voters in the
county as reflected by the voter registration records of the State Board of
Elections as of January 1 of the year in which the general election is to be
held, except if the office is for a district consisting of less than the entire
county and only the voters in that district vote for that office, the petitions
must be signed by qualified voters of the district equal in number to four
percent (4%) of the total number of voters in the district according to the voter
registration records of the State Board of Elections as of January 1 of the year
in which the general election is to be held. Each petition shall be presented to
the chair or director of the county board of elections. The chair or director of
the county board of elections shall verify the filed petition no later than 15
business days after canvass as provided in sub-subdivision b. of subdivision
(1) of this subsection, and shall return a copy of each petition, together with a
copy of the certificate required in this section, to the person who presented it
to the county board of elections.