School board election data analysis, 2025
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Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 187 school districts in 29 states in 2025. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 4,877,739 students. This report dives into the 546 seats that were up for election in those districts, and the 990 candidates who ran to fill those seats.
In this report you will find:
- How 2025 school board election data compares to 2024, 2023, and 2022 data
- An overview of school board election data from 2025
- An analysis of the partisan and race stage election methods used in 2025
- Details about school board election opposition by state and by enrollment
- School board incumbent running rates and win rates
- How non-incumbent school board candidates faired in 2025
- Definitions and our methodology on how seats, candidates, and incumbents were counted
Comparison by year
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School board elections in 2025 saw the lowest average number of candidates run per seat out of four election cycles. An average of 1.8 candidates ran per seat in 2025 compared to 1.9 in 2024, 1.9 in 2023, and 2.2 in 2022. When looking at unopposed seats, 2025 came in with the higher percentage, 36%, of school seats unopposed compared to 32% in 2024, 29% in 2023, and 25% in 2022. Elections in 2025 saw an equal percentage of incumbents run for re-election compared to 2024, and a higher percentage compared to 2023 and 2022. A total of 69% of incumbents whose terms were up for election ran for new terms in 2025, while 69% ran in 2024, 62% ran in 2023, and 68% ran in 2022. This meant that elections in 2025 the same percentage of open seats (31%) compared to 2024 (31%), and a lower percentage of open seats compared to 2023 (38%), and 2022 (32%). |
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Out of the four years, 2025 had the highest incumbent win rate, 84% compared to 83% in 2024, 82% in 2023, and 78% in 2022. The table below details school board election data for 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022.
| Year | States | School districts | Seats up for election | Candidates | Candidates per seat | Incumbents running for re-election | Open seats | Incumbent win rate | Unopposed seats | Student enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 28 | 372 | 1,169 | 2,535 | 2.2 | 68% | 32% | 78% | 25% | 12,278,825 |
| 2023 | 29 | 192 | 514 | 986 | 1.9 | 62% | 38% | 82% | 29% | 5,362,958 |
| 2024 | 29 | 367 | 1,058 | 2,023 | 1.9 | 69% | 31% | 83% | 32% | 12,203,404 |
| 2025 | 29 | 187 | 546 | 990 | 1.8 | 69% | 31% | 84% | 36% | 4,877,739 |
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School board elections in 2025 saw a higher percentage of seats go to incumbents compared to 2024, 2023, and 2022. Incumbents won 58% of seats up for election in 2025, while non-incumbents won 42%. In 2024, incumbents won 57% of seats up for election, and non-incumbents won 43%. Incumbents won 51% of seats up for election in 2023, and non-incumbents won 48%. In 2022, incumbents won 53% of seats up for election, while non-incumbents won 46%. All four election years saw some seats go to write-in candidates or stay unfilled after the election. The table below details the who won school board seats up for election in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. |
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| Year | Seats won by incumbents | Seats won by non-incumbents | Seats won by write-ins or that were not filled in election |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 53% | 46% | 0.51% |
| 2023 | 51% | 48% | 0.78% |
| 2024 | 57% | 43% | 1.2% |
| 2025 | 58% | 42% | 0.55% |
Overview
Of the 29 states with school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2025, Texas had the most seats up for election with 196. Ohio had the second-most with 61 seats up for election. Three states—California, Louisiana, and South Carolina—tied for the fewest seats up for election with one each, and Alaska, Arizona, and Idaho had the second-fewest with two each.
The map below shows how many seats were up for election in school districts covered by Ballotpedia in each state in 2025. Ballotpedia did not cover school board elections in the states shown in gray.
The first table below details the total number of school board seats that were up for election in 2025 as well as how many candidates filed to run, the average number of candidates per seat, the number of incumbents who ran for re-election, how many open seats there were, and the total student enrollment in the districts that held elections. The second table details the same information by state.
| State | School districts | Seats up for election | Candidates | Candidates per seat | Incumbents | Open seats | Unopposed seats | Student enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 187 | 546 | 990 | 1.8 | 375 | 171 | 198 | 4,877,739 |
| State | School districts | Seats up for election | Candidates | Candidates per seat | Incumbents | Open seats | Unopposed seats | Student enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 | 17 | 29 | 1.7 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 32,091 |
| Alaska | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43,363 |
| Arizona | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 26,753 |
| California | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17,768 |
| Colorado | 16 | 47 | 86 | 1.8 | 18 | 29 | 13 | 505,126 |
| Georgia | 1 | 4 | 13 | 3.3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 49,660 |
| Idaho | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38,991 |
| Illinois | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 34,553 |
| Iowa | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1.3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 30,277 |
| Kansas | 5 | 16 | 32 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 68,544 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35,044 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38,631 |
| Missouri | 11 | 26 | 55 | 2.1 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 111,899 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 41,654 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 14 | 26 | 1.9 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 11,980 |
| New Jersey | 2 | 6 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 69,084 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2.3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 76,756 |
| New York | 2 | 9 | 11 | 1.2 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 32,016 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 6 | 14 | 2.3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 144,116 |
| Ohio | 20 | 61 | 100 | 1.6 | 44 | 17 | 10 | 269,766 |
| Oklahoma | 26 | 31 | 48 | 1.5 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 262,835 |
| Oregon | 8 | 33 | 57 | 1.7 | 23 | 10 | 17 | 149,930 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 19,769 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39,265 |
| Texas | 65 | 196 | 349 | 1.8 | 154 | 42 | 78 | 2,339,711 |
| Utah | 1 | 7 | 24 | 3.4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Virginia | 3 | 7 | 13 | 1.9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 149,094 |
| Washington | 4 | 12 | 31 | 2.6 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 115,896 |
| Wisconsin | 7 | 22 | 27 | 1.2 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 123,167 |
The first table below provides details about the winners of the 2025 school board elections, including the percent of seats won by incumbents, won by non-incumbents, and won by write-ins or filled by means other than elections. The second table details the same information by state.
| State | Seats won by incumbents | Seats won by non-incumbents | Seats won by write-ins or that were not filled in election |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 58.0% | 42.0% | 0.6% |
| State | Seats won by incumbents | Seats won by non-incumbents | Seats won by write-ins or that were not filled in election |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 82% | 18% | 0% |
| Alaska | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Arizona | 50% | 50% | 0% |
| California | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| Colorado | 30% | 70% | 0% |
| Georgia | 25% | 75% | 0% |
| Idaho | 50% | 50% | 0% |
| Illinois | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Iowa | 50% | 50% | 0% |
| Kansas | 69% | 31% | 0% |
| Louisiana | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Minnesota | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Missouri | 50% | 50% | 0% |
| Nebraska | 25% | 75% | 0% |
| New Hampshire | 57% | 43% | 0% |
| New Jersey | 50% | 50% | 0% |
| New Mexico | 25% | 75% | 0% |
| New York | 56% | 44% | 0% |
| North Carolina | 33% | 67% | 0% |
| Ohio | 59% | 41% | 0% |
| Oklahoma | 61% | 39% | 9.7% |
| Oregon | 67% | 33% | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | 40% | 60% | 0% |
| South Carolina | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| Texas | 64% | 36% | 0% |
| Utah | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| Virginia | 29% | 71% | 0% |
| Washington | 58% | 42% | 0% |
| Wisconsin | 64% | 36% | 0% |
The school districts covered by Ballotpedia in 2025 had a range of student enrollments. The largest enrollments included the Houston Independent School District in Texas with 184,109 students and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina with 144,116 students. The smallest enrollments included the Banner Public Schools in Oklahoma with 319 students and the Crutcho Public Schools in Oklahoma with 386 students. The chart below shows the distribution of school districts by student enrollment size.
Method of elections
Partisan method of election
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Ballotpedia covered 187 school districts that held school board elections in 2025. The chart to the left shows how many school districts used nonpartisan elections, where no party affiliation was listed next to candidate names on the ballot, versus partisan elections, where party affiliations of the candidates—such as Democratic or Republican—were included on election ballots. A total of 185 school districts (99%) used nonpartisan elections, while two school districts (1%) used partisan elections. The school districts that used partisan elections were located in Louisiana and Pennsylvania with 2025 student enrollments of 35,044 and 19,769 students, respectively. |
Race stage method of election
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School districts holding elections in 2025 used up to three different race stages: primary, general, and general runoff. The chart to the left shows how many districts used the different stage types. All possible stages were included in the chart, though some of them may have been canceled due to lack of opposition. A majority of districts, 135 or 72%, used only general stages in the 2025 elections. Forty-seven (25%) used both primary and general stages. Five (3%) used general and general runoff stages. General runoff stages were used in school districts in Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, and Texas. |
Table of election methods by school district
The table below shows all of the 187 school districts that held elections in 2025. It includes information on the partisan method of election and race stage method of election for each district. Click the arrow to the right to see the full list.
| School District | State | Partisanship | Stages possible | Seats up for election | Candidates | Student enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage School District | AK | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 43,363 |
| Birmingham City Schools | AL | Nonpartisan all | General & General runoff | 9 | 20 | 20,884 |
| Tuscaloosa City Schools | AL | Nonpartisan all | General & General runoff | 8 | 9 | 11,207 |
| Phoenix Union High School District | AZ | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 26,753 |
| Newport-Mesa Unified School District | CA | Nonpartisan all | General only | 1 | 2 | 17,768 |
| Academy School District 20 | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 25,674 |
| Adams 12 Five Star Schools | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 34,998 |
| Aurora Public Schools | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 7 | 38,178 |
| Bennett School District 29-J | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 1,645 |
| Cherry Creek School District | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 51,808 |
| Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 3,763 |
| Colorado Springs School District 11 | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 22,740 |
| Denver Public Schools | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 11 | 88,258 |
| Douglas County School District | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 8 | 61,409 |
| Harrison School District Two | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 12,024 |
| Jeffco Public Schools | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 74,251 |
| Manitou Springs School District 14 | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 1,238 |
| School District 27J | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 5 | 23,139 |
| School District 49 | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 5 | 24,867 |
| St. Vrain Valley School District | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 6 | 31,757 |
| Widefield School District 3 | CO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 9,377 |
| Atlanta Public Schools | GA | Nonpartisan all | General & General runoff | 4 | 13 | 49,660 |
| Des Moines Public Schools | IA | Nonpartisan all | General & General runoff | 4 | 5 | 30,277 |
| West Ada School District | ID | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 5 | 38,991 |
| School District U-46 | IL | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 34,553 |
| Circle Unified School District 375 | KS | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 3 | 2,087 |
| Goddard Unified School District 265 | KS | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 7 | 6,253 |
| Haysville Unified School District 261 | KS | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 3 | 5,528 |
| Maize Unified School District 266 | KS | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 5 | 8,160 |
| Wichita Public Schools | KS | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 4 | 14 | 46,516 |
| Caddo Parish Public Schools | LA | Partisan all | General only | 1 | 2 | 35,044 |
| Anoka-Hennepin School District | MN | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 6 | 38,631 |
| Center School District | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 2,454 |
| Grandview C-4 School District | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 3,689 |
| Hickman Mills C-1 School District | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 5 | 4,981 |
| Kansas City Public Schools | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 7 | 14,694 |
| Liberty Public Schools | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 12,154 |
| North Kansas City Schools | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 6 | 21,015 |
| Park Hill School District | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 11,915 |
| Platte County R-III School District | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 4,283 |
| Raytown C-2 School District | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 7 | 7,953 |
| St. Joseph School District | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 6 | 10,477 |
| St. Louis Public Schools | MO | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 12 | 18,284 |
| Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | NC | Nonpartisan all | General only | 6 | 14 | 144,116 |
| Lincoln Public Schools | NE | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 4 | 8 | 41,654 |
| Manchester School District | NH | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 14 | 26 | 11,980 |
| Jersey City Public Schools | NJ | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 26,293 |
| Newark Public Schools | NJ | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 11 | 42,791 |
| Albuquerque Public Schools | NM | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 9 | 76,756 |
| Buffalo Public Schools | NY | Nonpartisan all | General only | 6 | 8 | 29,866 |
| Lackawanna City School District | NY | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 2,150 |
| Berea City School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 5,478 |
| Canal Winchester Local School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 3,759 |
| Cincinnati Public Schools | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 5 | 34,860 |
| Columbus City Schools | OH | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 10 | 45,181 |
| Dublin City Schools | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 16,736 |
| Euclid City School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 4,655 |
| Gahanna-Jefferson City School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 6 | 8,121 |
| Groveport-Madison Local School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 6,239 |
| Hamilton Local School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 3,151 |
| Hilliard City Schools | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 16,164 |
| Maumee City School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 2,143 |
| New Albany-Plain Local School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 5,065 |
| Olentangy Local School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 23,806 |
| Pickerington Local School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 11,549 |
| South-Western City Schools | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 6 | 21,873 |
| Sylvania City School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 7,787 |
| Toledo Public Schools | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 21,047 |
| Washington Local School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 6,771 |
| Westerville City School District | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 14,533 |
| Worthington Schools | OH | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 10,848 |
| Banner Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 2 | 319 |
| Bixby Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 8,061 |
| Broken Arrow Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 3 | 20,054 |
| Catoosa Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 1,828 |
| Crooked Oak Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 0 | 1,254 |
| Crutcho Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 0 | 386 |
| Deer Creek Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 3 | 7,921 |
| Edmond Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 2 | 25,878 |
| Jenks Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 12,632 |
| Jones Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 2 | 1,137 |
| Little Axe Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 1,153 |
| Luther Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 835 |
| McLoud Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 2 | 1,595 |
| Midwest City-Del City Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 12,380 |
| Millwood Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 2 | 6 | 1,094 |
| Moore Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 24,174 |
| Mustang Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 13,630 |
| Oakdale Public School | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 702 |
| Oklahoma City Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 5 | 32,899 |
| Owasso Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 9,898 |
| Piedmont Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 2 | 3 | 5,327 |
| Putnam City Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 18,733 |
| Tulsa Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 2 | 6 | 33,562 |
| Union Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 1 | 14,974 |
| Western Heights Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 0 | 2,888 |
| Yukon Public Schools | OK | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 1 | 2 | 9,521 |
| Beaverton School District | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 8 | 38,049 |
| Centennial School District | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 9 | 5,513 |
| David Douglas School District | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 6 | 9 | 8,714 |
| Parkrose School District | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 5 | 2,874 |
| Portland Public Schools | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 11 | 44,039 |
| Reynolds School District | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 4 | 9,668 |
| Salem-Keizer Public Schools | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 8 | 38,818 |
| Scappoose School District | OR | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 2,255 |
| Pittsburgh Public Schools | PA | Partisan all | Primary & General | 5 | 9 | 19,769 |
| Berkeley County School District | SC | Nonpartisan all | General only | 1 | 2 | 39,265 |
| Alamo Heights Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 4,698 |
| Aldine Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 9 | 57,844 |
| Alief Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 4 | 39,474 |
| Allen Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 21,370 |
| Amarillo Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 7 | 29,729 |
| Arlington Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 54,750 |
| Burleson Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 12,718 |
| Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 7 | 24,386 |
| Castleberry Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 3,740 |
| Clear Creek Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 40,132 |
| Coppell Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 13,414 |
| Crowley Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 16,956 |
| Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 9 | 118,470 |
| Dallas Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 6 | 139,246 |
| Duncanville Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 11,761 |
| Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 23,462 |
| Eanes Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 7,738 |
| Ector County Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 5 | 33,426 |
| El Paso Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 11 | 49,139 |
| Everman Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 5,139 |
| Forney Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 17,002 |
| Fort Bend Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 6 | 80,206 |
| Fort Worth Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 5 | 8 | 71,060 |
| Frenship Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 11,581 |
| Frisco Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 8 | 66,698 |
| Galena Park Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 21,105 |
| Garland Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 51,659 |
| Grand Prairie Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 5 | 26,638 |
| Harlandale Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 6 | 11,814 |
| Hays Consolidated Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 2 | 23,313 |
| Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas) | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 6,437 |
| Houston Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 5 | 8 | 184,109 |
| Humble Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 10 | 48,552 |
| Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 5 | 23,226 |
| Irving Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 31,485 |
| Judson Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 8 | 23,848 |
| Katy Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 94,785 |
| Keller Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 10 | 33,250 |
| Kennedale Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 2,827 |
| Killeen Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 43,864 |
| Klein Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 53,093 |
| Lake Worth Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 5 | 3,238 |
| Lamar Consolidated Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 7 | 44,512 |
| Lancaster Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 7,014 |
| Lewisville Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 6 | 48,440 |
| Mansfield Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 6 | 35,851 |
| Mesquite Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 38,265 |
| New Deal Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 765 |
| Northside Independent School District (Bexar County) | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 10 | 101,095 |
| Northwest Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 30,736 |
| Pasadena Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 9 | 47,486 |
| Pflugerville Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 6 | 25,297 |
| Plano Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 8 | 47,899 |
| Port Aransas Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 527 |
| Richardson Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General & General runoff | 3 | 6 | 37,085 |
| Rockport-Fulton Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 4 | 2,968 |
| Rockwall Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 18,798 |
| Roosevelt Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 3 | 1,122 |
| San Antonio Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 6 | 44,670 |
| Socorro Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 12 | 47,304 |
| Southside Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 6,033 |
| Southwest Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 2 | 4 | 14,202 |
| Spring Branch Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 8 | 33,407 |
| Spring Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 3 | 3 | 33,935 |
| Ysleta Independent School District | TX | Nonpartisan all | General only | 4 | 4 | 34,918 |
| Aspen Peaks School District | UT | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 7 | 24 | 0 |
| Chesapeake Public Schools | VA | Nonpartisan all | General only | 1 | 2 | 40,576 |
| Loudoun County Public Schools | VA | Nonpartisan all | General only | 5 | 9 | 81,636 |
| Norfolk Public Schools | VA | Nonpartisan all | General only | 1 | 2 | 26,882 |
| Cheney School District | WA | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 2 | 4 | 5,658 |
| Lake Washington School District | WA | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 2 | 6 | 30,882 |
| Seattle Public Schools | WA | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 4 | 16 | 50,770 |
| Spokane Public Schools | WA | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 4 | 5 | 28,586 |
| DeForest Area School District | WI | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 4 | 4,153 |
| Madison Metropolitan School District | WI | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 3 | 4 | 25,247 |
| McFarland School District | WI | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 2 | 2 | 5,639 |
| Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District | WI | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 4 | 4 | 7,059 |
| Milwaukee Public Schools | WI | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 4 | 5 | 66,864 |
| Sun Prairie Area School District | WI | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 4 | 6 | 8,411 |
| Verona Area School District | WI | Nonpartisan all | Primary & General | 2 | 2 | 5,794 |
Opposition
By state
Utah had the highest average number of candidates run per school board seat in 2025. The state saw 24 candidates run for seven seats for an average of 3.4 candidates per seat. Arizona and Illinois saw the lowest average number of candidates run per seat. Two candidates ran for two seats in Arizona for an average of one candidate per seat, and three candidates ran for three seats in Illinois for an average of one candidate per seat.
When looking at unopposed seats, Arizona and Illinois took the lead with 100% of school board seats seeing only one candidate run. Ten states—Alaska, California, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Utah—had no unopposed seats in 2025.
The map and table below detail the candidates per seat and percent of unopposed seats in each state in 2025. Ballotpedia did not cover school board elections in the states shown in gray.
| State | School districts holding elections | Seats up for election | Candidates who ran for election | Candidates per seat | Percent of seats that were unopposed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 | 17 | 29 | 1.7 | 59% |
| Alaska | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0% |
| Arizona | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 100% |
| California | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0% |
| Colorado | 16 | 47 | 86 | 1.8 | 28% |
| Georgia | 1 | 4 | 13 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Idaho | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0% |
| Illinois | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 100% |
| Iowa | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1.3 | 50% |
| Kansas | 5 | 16 | 32 | 2 | 44% |
| Louisiana | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0% |
| Minnesota | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0% |
| Missouri | 11 | 26 | 55 | 2.1 | 38% |
| Nebraska | 1 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 25% |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 14 | 26 | 1.9 | 14% |
| New Jersey | 2 | 6 | 18 | 3 | 0% |
| New Mexico | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2.3 | 0% |
| New York | 2 | 9 | 11 | 1.2 | 89% |
| North Carolina | 1 | 6 | 14 | 2.3 | 17% |
| Ohio | 20 | 61 | 100 | 1.6 | 16% |
| Oklahoma | 26 | 31 | 48 | 1.5 | 48% |
| Oregon | 8 | 33 | 57 | 1.7 | 52% |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 20% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0% |
| Texas | 65 | 196 | 349 | 1.8 | 40% |
| Utah | 1 | 7 | 24 | 3.4 | 0% |
| Virginia | 3 | 7 | 13 | 1.9 | 14% |
| Washington | 4 | 12 | 31 | 2.6 | 25% |
| Wisconsin | 7 | 22 | 27 | 1.2 | 64% |
By enrollment
When looking at school districts by enrollment, larger districts generally saw a higher average number of candidates per seat compared to smaller districts. In school districts with a student enrollment of 100,001 and over, the average number of candidates per seat was 2.2. Most districts with enrollments above 40,001 students saw an average of more than two candidates per seat, while most school districts with enrollments below 40,001 all had fewer than two candidates per seat. The exception to this pattern was districts with less than 1,000 students, which had an average of 2.1 candidates per seat. The smallest average was 1.4 candidates per seat in school districts with enrollments between 1,001 and 5,000. The chart below details the candidates per seat in the 2025 school board elections by enrollment size.
Incumbents
A total of 375 school board incumbents ran for re-election in 2025, and 314 were elected to new terms, a win rate of 84%. Nine states—Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania—saw all school board incumbents who ran for re-election win, while Georgia, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia saw half of the incumbents who ran lose their re-election bids. The states of California, South Carolina, and Utah had no incumbents run for re-election.
The map below shows the incumbent win rates by state for the 2025 school board elections. Ballotpedia did not cover school board elections in the states shown in gray.
Overall, 69% of incumbents whose terms were up for re-election in 2025 ran for new terms. Incumbents won 58% of the school board seats up for election. The table below lists incumbent details for each state that held school board elections in 2025.
| State | School districts holding elections | Seats up for election | Incumbents who ran for re-election | Percent of incumbents who ran for re-election | Seats won by incumbents | Incumbent win rate | Percent of seats won by incumbents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 | 2 | 2 | 100% | 2 | 100% | 100% |
| Arizona | 1 | 2 | 1 | 50% | 1 | 100% | 50% |
| California | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| Colorado | 16 | 47 | 18 | 38% | 14 | 78% | 30% |
| Georgia | 1 | 4 | 2 | 50% | 1 | 50% | 25% |
| Idaho | 1 | 2 | 2 | 100% | 1 | 50% | 50% |
| Illinois | 1 | 3 | 3 | 100% | 3 | 100% | 100% |
| Iowa | 1 | 4 | 2 | 50% | 2 | 100% | 50% |
| Kansas | 5 | 16 | 13 | 81% | 11 | 85% | 69% |
| Louisiana | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| Minnesota | 1 | 3 | 3 | 100% | 3 | 100% | 100% |
| Missouri | 11 | 26 | 16 | 62% | 13 | 81% | 50% |
| Nebraska | 1 | 4 | 1 | 25% | 1 | 100% | 25% |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 14 | 9 | 64% | 8 | 89% | 57% |
| New Jersey | 2 | 6 | 4 | 67% | 3 | 75% | 50% |
| New Mexico | 1 | 4 | 2 | 50% | 1 | 50% | 25% |
| New York | 2 | 9 | 6 | 67% | 5 | 83% | 56% |
| North Carolina | 1 | 6 | 4 | 67% | 2 | 50% | 33% |
| Ohio | 20 | 61 | 44 | 72% | 36 | 82% | 59% |
| Oklahoma | 26 | 31 | 21 | 68% | 19 | 90% | 61% |
| Oregon | 8 | 33 | 23 | 70% | 22 | 96% | 67% |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 5 | 2 | 40% | 2 | 100% | 40% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| Texas | 65 | 196 | 154 | 79% | 126 | 82% | 64% |
| Utah | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| Virginia | 3 | 7 | 4 | 57% | 2 | 50% | 29% |
| Washington | 4 | 12 | 9 | 75% | 7 | 78% | 58% |
| Wisconsin | 7 | 22 | 15 | 68% | 14 | 93% | 64% |
Non-incumbents
A total of 615 of the 990 candidates who ran in the 2025 school board elections were non-incumbents. They won 232 school board seats, 43% of the seats up for election. California, South Carolina, and Utah saw all seats up for election go to non-incumbents, while Alaska, Illinois, Louisiana, and Minnesota saw no non-incumbents win election.
The map below details the percent of seats won by non-incumbents by state in the 2025 school board elections. Ballotpedia did not cover school board elections in the states shown in gray.
Non-incumbents in 2025 were guaranteed to win 171 open seats, 31% of all seats up for election, as no incumbents filed to run for re-election for those seats. California, South Carolina, and Utah were the only states to have all open school board seats in 2025. Five states—Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, and Minnesota—had no open seats. The table below details the number and percent of open seats in each state in 2025 as well as the non-incumbent win rates.
| State | School districts holding elections | Seats up for election | Open seats | Percent of seats that were open | Non-incumbents running for election | Seats won by non-incumbents | Non-incumbent win rate | Percent of seats won by non-incumbents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| Arizona | 1 | 2 | 1 | 50% | 1 | 1 | 100% | 50% |
| California | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 2 | 0 | 50% | 100% |
| Colorado | 16 | 47 | 29 | 62% | 68 | 14 | 49% | 70% |
| Georgia | 1 | 4 | 2 | 50% | 11 | 1 | 27% | 75% |
| Idaho | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 1 | 33% | 50% |
| Illinois | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 3 | 0% | 0% |
| Iowa | 1 | 4 | 2 | 50% | 3 | 2 | 67% | 50% |
| Kansas | 5 | 16 | 3 | 19% | 19 | 11 | 26% | 31% |
| Louisiana | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| Minnesota | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 3 | 0% | 0% |
| Missouri | 11 | 26 | 10 | 38% | 39 | 13 | 33% | 50% |
| Nebraska | 1 | 4 | 3 | 75% | 7 | 1 | 43% | 75% |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 14 | 5 | 36% | 17 | 8 | 35% | 43% |
| New Jersey | 2 | 6 | 2 | 33% | 14 | 3 | 21% | 50% |
| New Mexico | 1 | 4 | 2 | 50% | 7 | 1 | 43% | 75% |
| New York | 2 | 9 | 3 | 33% | 5 | 5 | 80% | 44% |
| North Carolina | 1 | 6 | 2 | 33% | 10 | 2 | 40% | 67% |
| Ohio | 20 | 61 | 17 | 28% | 56 | 36 | 45% | 41% |
| Oklahoma | 26 | 31 | 10 | 32% | 27 | 19 | 44% | 39% |
| Oregon | 8 | 33 | 10 | 30% | 34 | 22 | 32% | 33% |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 5 | 3 | 60% | 7 | 2 | 43% | 60% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 2 | 0 | 50% | 100% |
| Texas | 65 | 196 | 42 | 21% | 195 | 126 | 36% | 36% |
| Utah | 1 | 7 | 7 | 100% | 24 | 0 | 29% | 100% |
| Virginia | 3 | 7 | 3 | 43% | 9 | 2 | 56% | 71% |
| Washington | 4 | 12 | 3 | 25% | 22 | 7 | 23% | 42% |
| Wisconsin | 7 | 22 | 7 | 32% | 12 | 14 | 67% | 36% |
Methodology
This report includes school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2025. A total of 476 school districts were in Ballotpedia's coverage scope in 2025. This includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment. Although Ballotpedia covers all school board recalls in the United States, recall elections are not included in this report. In 2025, Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 29 states. Ballotpedia did not cover school board elections in the following 21 states:
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This report looks at overall numbers from the 2025 school board elections related to method of elections, opposition, incumbents, and non-incumbents. Below is a list of definitions of terms used in this report:
- District/School district: School districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope that held elections in 2025.
- Seats: The seats that were up for election in the school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope in 2025. If an election was canceled, the seats were still counted.
- Candidates: Individuals who completed the regular filing process required for school board elections in their state and did not withdraw or get disqualified before the election was held. Individuals were counted as candidates if they ran for part of a race, such as a primary, before withdrawing in a later stage, such as a general election. Write-in candidates who were not incumbents were not counted as candidates due to the extreme variation in election filing laws across states.
- Incumbents: School board members who ran for re-election to a seat within the same board. Ballotpedia counts incumbents by chamber, so if a school board member ran for a different seat on the board than the one they held as of the election date, they were still counted as an incumbent. If an incumbent ran as a write-in candidate, they were counted toward the candidate total and the incumbent total. Three incumbent write-in candidates were counted in this report. Two lost their bids for re-election, and one won another term.
- Non-incumbents: Candidates who were not members of the school board they were running to represent at the time of the election.
- Open seats: Seats in which an incumbent did not run for re-election, which guaranteed the seat would be won by a non-incumbent.
- Unopposed seats: Seats that had only one candidate in all stages of an election. If a candidate faced opposition in a primary and went on to a general election where they did not face opposition, the seat was not counted as unopposed. If a candidate faced opposition only from non-incumbent write-in candidates, the seat was counted as unopposed.
- Election/Race stages: Stages required to complete an election, including: primary, primary runoff, general, and general runoff.
See also
- School Boards and School Board Elections
- School board elections, 2025
- School board election data analysis, 2024
- School board election data analysis, 2023
- School board election data analysis, 2022
- School board election data analysis, 2021
- School board election data analysis, 2020
- School boards in session: 2016 in brief
- School boards in session: 2015 in brief
- School boards in session: 2014 elections by the numbers
