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School boards in session: opposition in 2016
 Election Analysis |
Methods of election Opposition Non-incumbent success rates |
Success rates |
2015 incumbency analysis 2014 elections by the numbers 2014 incumbency analysis |
School board elections, 2016 |
The 2016 school board elections in the top 1,000 school districts by enrollment had a higher percentage of unopposed seats than the elections held in 2014, but they had a lower percentage of unopposed seats than the elections held in 2015. A total of 34.05 percent of seats were unopposed in 2016, compared to 35.95 percent in 2015 and 32.57 percent in 2014.
Despite having a higher percentage of unopposed seats than the 2014 elections, the average number of candidates running per seat in 2016 was nearly equal to the average in 2014. In 2016, an average of 1.90 candidates ran per seat, and in 2014, an average of 1.89 candidates ran per seat. The 2015 elections had a lower average with 1.72 candidates running per seat.
The following sections analyze the rate at which school board seats were unopposed in 2016 and the number of candidates who ran per seat on the ballot. These calculations are compared by state and by school district enrollment.
Methodology
In 2016, Ballotpedia covered school board elections in the top 1,000 school districts in the United States by enrollment. Of those districts, 648 held school board elections. These elections took place in 38 states. The 12 states where the largest districts by enrollment did not hold elections in 2016 were Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington. These states are not included in this report.
For more information on Ballotpedia's methodology for this report, check out the methodology in Ballotpedia's 2016 school board election analysis.
Unopposed seats
A total of 667 school board seats—34.05 percent of all seats up for election—saw no opposition in 2016. Incumbents were more likely to be unopposed than non-incumbents. A total of 39.08 percent of incumbents ran for re-election unopposed, while 5.20 percent of non-incumbents ran unopposed.
Analysis by state
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With 100 percent of its school board seats unopposed, Montana had the highest percentage of unopposed seats in 2016. Three seats were up for election in the state, and three candidates filed to run for them. Oklahoma had the second-highest percentage of unopposed seats with 80 percent of its 15 seats up for election seeing no opposition. The third-highest rate was found in Delaware. A total of 77.78 percent of the nine seats up for election in that state were unopposed. Six states had no unopposed seats in 2016: Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Maryland had the second-lowest percentage of unopposed seats (3.57 percent), and New Jersey had the third-lowest percentage of unopposed seats (5.45 percent). |
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The map above details the percentage of school board seats that were unopposed in each state in 2016. States depicted in gray did not hold school board elections in 2016. More details about the number of seats that were unopposed as well as the percentage of incumbents and non-incumbents who were unopposed in each state can be found in the table below.
Analysis by enrollment
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The smallest school districts by enrollment that held elections in 2016 had the highest percentage of unopposed seats. A total of 41.11 percent of seats up for election in school districts with an enrollment below 10,001 students were unopposed. School districts with an enrollment between 80,001 and 100,000 students had the second-highest rate of unopposed seats. A total of 38.46 percent of seats were unopposed in those districts. |
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The lowest percentage of unopposed seats was found in school districts with an enrollment between 60,001 and 80,000 students. A total of 27.42 percent of seats were unopposed in those districts. The second-lowest percentage of unopposed seats—28.04 percent—was found in school districts with an enrollment between 30,001 and 40,000 students.
The chart above details the percentage of school board seats that were unopposed in 2016 by student enrollment size. More details about how many incumbents and non-incumbents ran unopposed by enrollment range can be found in the table below.
Candidates per seat
An average of 1.90 candidates ran per school board seat on the ballot in 2016. A total of 3,726 candidates ran for 1,959 seats. The 2015 elections had 2,375 candidates run for 1,377 seats for an average of 1.72, and the 2014 elections had 4,141 candidates run for 2,189 seats for an average of 1.89.
Analysis by state
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Nevada had the highest average number of candidates running per seat in 2016. A total of 47 candidates ran for 14 seats for an average of 3.36 candidates per seat. Iowa had the second-highest average with 3.00 candidates running per seat, and South Dakota had the third-highest average with 2.75 candidates running per seat. In addition to having the highest percentage of unopposed seats in 2016, Montana attracted the smallest average number of candidates running per seat (1.00). Arkansas had the second-smallest average with 1.11 candidates running per seat, and Oklahoma had the third-smallest with 1.20 candidates running per seat. |
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The map above details the average number of candidates who ran per school board seat on the ballot in each state in 2016. States depicted in gray did not hold school board elections in 2016. More details about how many candidates ran and how many seats were up for election in each state can be found in the table below.
Analysis by enrollment
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The largest school districts by enrollment attracted the highest average number of candidates running per seat in 2016. In school districts with an enrollment at or above 100,001 students, an average of 2.44 candidates ran per seat up for election. The second-highest average—2.42 candidates running per seat—was found in school districts with an enrollment between 40,001 and 60,000 students. School districts with an enrollment below 10,001 students attracted the smallest average with 1.68 candidates running per seat. School districts with an enrollment between 10,001 and 20,000 students had the second-smallest average with 1.72 candidates running per seat. |
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The chart above details the average number of candidates who ran per school board seat on the ballot in 2016 by student enrollment size. More details about how many candidates ran and how many seats were up for election by enrollment range can be found in the table below.
See also
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