Rules governing school board election dates and timing in Connecticut
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| Connecticut overview: • Election dates: off cycle |
| Key policies: • Election dates and timing • Party labels on the ballot |
| Key terms • On-cycle elections • Off-cycle elections • Off-year elections • Off-date elections • Party labels • Partisan elections • Nonpartisan elections |
By default, school board general elections in Connecticut are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in odd-numbered years. The governing body of a town can by a three-fourths vote opt to hold elections on the first Monday in May every two years in odd-numbered years, in which case the school board elections are held in May as well.
School board primary elections in Connecticut are held 56 days before the general elections every two years in odd-numbered years, which means primary elections are held in early September for November general elections or in early March for May general elections. Primary elections are only held if more than one candidate is running as the nominee of any one political party.
See law:
Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-164, 9-415, and 9-423
There were 169 public school districts in Connecticut with a total of 1,441 school board member seats as of 2022. Those school districts operated a total of 935 schools serving 486,990 students.
You will find the following information on this page:
- the timing and frequency of school board elections
- candidate filing deadlines
- the number of school board members
- the length of school board terms
- the way in which elections for different board seats are staggered
- recent changes to laws governing school board election timing
- how Connecticut compares to other states
- when new board members officially take office.
Across the country, there are 13,024 public school districts governed by a total of about 82,600 board members. Most school board members are elected directly by voters, while a small number of districts have appointed school board members or a combination of appointed and elected school board members.
The timing of elections for school board members varies widely across states and even across districts in the same state in some cases. In 14 states, most school board elections are held on-cycle with federal elections in November of even-numbered years. Most school board elections in the other states are held off-cycle. This includes off-date elections—for example, elections held in the spring or summer—and off-year elections held in odd-numbered years.
On-cycle local elections have higher voter turnout than off-cycle local elections.
The information in this page was last updated in 2022. Please email editor@ballotpedia.org with any updates, corrections, exceptions, or improvements.
Election dates and frequency
By default, school board general elections in Connecticut are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in odd-numbered years. The governing body of a town can by a three-fourths vote opt to hold elections on the first Monday in May every two years in odd-numbered years, in which case the school board elections are held in May as well. As of 2023, two towns held May elections, and the remaining towns held November elections according to the Connecticut Secretary of State report on town elections.
School board primary elections in Connecticut are held 56 days before the general elections every two years in odd-numbered years, which means primary elections are held in early September for November general elections or in early March for May general elections. Primary elections are only held if more than one candidate is running as the nominee of any one political party.
See law:
Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-164, 9-415, and 9-423
Recent or upcoming election dates for school districts in towns with November elections
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts in towns with November elections. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: August 6, 2025
- Primary election date: September 9, 2025
- General election date: November 4, 2025
Recent or upcoming election dates for school districts in towns with municipal elections in May
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts in towns with municipal elections in May. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: February 2, 2027
- Primary election date: March 8, 2027
- General election date: May 3, 2027
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
For school districts that hold November elections, any candidates that wish to challenge a major party-endorsed candidate or appear on the ballot in a major party's primary if that party does not endorse municipal candidates must file nominating petitions by 34 days before the September primary election, which means the filing deadline is in early August. For minor party candidates, the party nomination process is determined by the party's rules. Write-in candidates for school board elections must also file by this deadline 34 days before the primary election.
For school districts that hold May elections, any candidates that wish to challenge a major party-endorsed candidate or appear on the ballot in a major party's primary if that party does not endorse municipal candidates must file nominating petitions by 34 days before the March primary election, which means the filing deadline is in late January or early February. For minor party candidates, the party nomination process is determined by the party's rules. Write-in candidates for school board elections must also file by this deadline 34 days before the primary election.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 9-405
In Connecticut, the secretary of state can issue nominating petitions for candidates beginning on the first business day of the year of the election.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 9-453b
State statute says that newly elected municipal officers, including school board members, officially take office within 70 days of the election. The specific day within that 70-day timeline is left to local laws.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 9-187a
Election system
Types of elections
School board members in Connecticut are elected through a system of a partisan primary and partisan general election. Primary elections are only held if more than one candidate is running as the nominee of any one political party. State law allows local charters and special acts can control many aspects of school board elections. There is a process for a political party to endorse a candidate. If any candidates seeking to challenge the party-endorsed candidate of a major party file sufficient signature petitions or file after being selected by 15% of a party convention, a partisan primary election is held to determine the major party's nominee in the general election. A partisan primary is also held if a major party does not endorse a candidate and more than one candidate files nominating petitions to run as members of that party. For minor party candidates, the party nomination process is determined by the party's rules.
Some school districts have appointed boards of education. As of 2022, at least Hartford and New Haven school districts had a combination of elected and appointed boards of education.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. section 9-415 and section 9-203 through 9-206 and Conn. Gen. Stat. section 9-203 through 9-206
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in Connecticut are partisan, which means party labels do appear on the ballot for school board candidates. Connecticut state law allows political parties to nominate school board member candidates. There is a process established in state law for a major political party to endorse a candidate. If no other candidate files or is supported by a sufficient portion of a party convention to challenge the party-endorsed candidate, that candidate automatically becomes the party's nominee at the general election and no primary is held. If any candidates seeking to challenge the party-endorsed candidate file sufficient signature petitions or are selected by sufficient portions of a party convention, a partisan primary election is held to determine the party's nominee in the general election. A partisan primary is also held if a major party does not make a candidate endorsement for a seat and more than one candidate files to run for that seat as a member of that party. State law restricts the number of newly elected board members that can be affiliated with the same political party. When an even number of seats are up for election, not more than half of newly elected board members can be of the same political party. When an odd number of seats are up, not more than a simple majority (half + 1 member) of newly elected members can be of the same political party. State law also limits the total number of members of any board, commission, legislative body, or committee that are members of the same political party. For school boards that elect all of their members at the same election according to a charter or special act, the restrictions requiring certain levels of minority representation in the board as a whole apply to that election.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-203 through 9-206 and 9-167a
What it takes to win an election
Primary elections are only held if more than one candidate is running as the nominee of any one political party. In a major party primary election race, the candidate or candidates that receive the most votes are selected as that party's nominees in the general election. By default, only the number of nominees equal to the number of open seats members of that party are eligible to fill in the general election as limited by minority representation requirements advance to the general election. Towns may opt for an alternative system through charter or by referendum in which nominees from any one party equal in number to all of the seats up for election can advance to the general election. In the general election, when any limits imposed by the minority representation restrictions are met by a political party, remaining candidates that are members of that party are eliminated regardless of how many votes they received, and the next highest vote-getters not of that party are elected to office. Primary election and party nominee process details for minor parties are determined by party-specific rules filed with the secretary of state at least 60 days before the selection of that party's nominee.
The school board candidates that receive the most votes in the partisan general election are elected to an office subject to the minority representation requirement restrictions. The minority party representation requirements are established either by limiting the number of candidates any given voter can vote for or by limiting the number of candidates that can be elected from one party. Limitations for school board elections can be applied at the primary election stage or the general election stage. These limits are based both on the number of seats up for election and the total number of seats on the board. If limits are applied at the primary election stage, only the number of nominees equal to the number of open seats that members of that political party are eligible to fill advance to the general election. If limits are applied at the general election stage, the nominees from any one political party can equal up to the total number of upen seats. In the general election, when any limits imposed by the minority representation restrictions are met by a political party, remaining candidates that are members of that party are eliminated regardless of how many votes they received and the next highest vote-getters not of that party are elected to office.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 9-224a and Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-203 through 9-206 and 9-167a
Number, terms, and types of school board seats
Number of board members
State statute allows for between three and 12 school board members in a town-specific district. The number of board members can be set by local charter or special act. Statute requires a minimum of five board members for regional school districts formed through the combination of two or more towns. As of 2022, 87 districts (52%) had nine board member seats, 43 districts (26%) had seven board member seats, 10 districts (6%) had eight board member seats, nine districts (5%) had six board member seats, and nine districts (5%) had 10 board member seats. The remaining 6% of districts had either five board member seats or more than 10 board member seats.
See law:
Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-203 through 9-206, 10-46, and 10-63k
Board member term lengths
The lengths of school board terms in Connecticut vary depending on the district and whether there is a local charter or special act governing term lengths. State statute allows for terms of two, three, four, or six years for town-specific districts. Statute sets four-year terms for board members of regional school districts formed through the combination of two or more towns. As of 2022, 65% of districts had board members with four-year terms.
Regional school districts in Connecticut have four-year board member terms staggered so that half of board member seats are up for election every two years.
See law:
Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-203 through 9-206, 10-46, and 10-63k
and Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 10-46 and 10-63l
School board member election staggering
Rules governing school board term length and the staggering of elections for different school board seats vary widely in Connecticut. Statute gives local charters and special acts authority over election staggering, term length, and number of board members. Statute explicitly allows for systems in which (a) all seats are up at the same election for two-year terms, (b) as close to half of seats as possible are up for election every two years for four-year terms, or (c) as close to one-third of seats as possible are up for election every two years for six-year terms. Regional school districts have four-year board member terms staggered so that half of board member seats are up for election every two years.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-203 through 9-206
Representation: elections at-large or by sub-districts
For school districts serving individual towns, board members are elected at large by voters in the whole town.
See law:
Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 9-203 through 9-206
For regional school districts formed through the combination of two or more towns, board members are by default elected by voters in each town to represent that town on the regional board of education. A reapportionment commission, however, can prescribe that board members be elected at large by voters throughout the entire regional district or by a combination of board members at large and board members elected by each town. The reapportionment commission can also change the number of board members elected by each town in proportion to the populations of the towns. Reapportionment into an at-large or a combination of at-large and by-town system is done when representation on the regional board of education consisting of a number of board members from each town is not consistent with federal constitutional standards. Reapportionment commissions can also adjust the voting power of board members in proportion to town populations.
See law: Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 10-46 and 10-63l
Recent changes to laws governing school board election dates and timing in Connecticut
The Connecticut Legislature passed a bill that became effective on January 1, 2022, that required a three-fourths vote of the governing body of a town to hold municipal elections, including school board elections, in May instead of November of odd-numbered years.[1]
How does Connecticut compare to other states?
Across the country, there are 13,187 public school districts governed by a total of 83,183 school board members. They are elected directly by voters except for a small handful of exceptions who are appointed.
The analysis below is based on state laws governing school board elections and some researched common practices. In some states, the state law mandates a specific date. In others, the laws allow districts to choose their own election date from a range or a list of allowed dates or through charter provisions.
- 25 states have school board elections that are mostly held off cycle from federal elections. This includes both off-year and off-date elections.
- 10 of those states have school board elections that are mostly or at least commonly held on election dates in November of odd-numbered years.
- 16 of those states have school board elections mostly or at least commonly held on election dates that are not in November.
- 14 states have school board elections that are mostly held on cycle with federal elections in November of even-numbered years.
- 9 states either do not have state laws or overwhelmingly common practices that determine a specific school board election date or have varying school board election dates.
- Hawaii has a single, appointed school board.
See also
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School board election rules: |
School board election coverage: |
Terms and context: |
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Footnotes
