Bill would set school board, House and Senate elections on same cycle

OKLAHOMA CITY — A Bixby Republican has refiled his bill that would move state school board elections to the same cycle as House and Senate elections.

Rep. Chris Banning said not only would House Bill 1151 put school board, Senate and House elections on the same cycle, it would also modify the term lengths for school board members by making both elementary district boards and independent district boards four-year terms.

Under state statute, school districts must reimburse county election boards for all costs of school board elections. In 2023, these elections cost Oklahoma school districts a combined $16.8 million, taxpayer funds Banning said could go toward other purposes.

“This bill is simple — it repurposes millions of dollars for our amazing educators while providing a more accurate representation of community standards at the polling place,” he said.

Under HB 1151, these elections would move to the same schedule as legislative elections, which are held in June and November. Currently, school board elections are held in February and April.

Banning said there are many examples of very low voter turnout in these elections. He pointed to the April 2024 election to fill Union Public Schools Board seat for Zone 4, in which only 146 people voted.

Last year, Banning ran a nearly identical measure, House Bill 3563, which passed the House Elections and Ethics Committee but was not heard on the House floor.