West Virginia Board of Education Elections Amendment (2014)

Not on Ballot
This measure was not put on an election ballot

The West Board of Education Elections Amendment was not on the November 4, 2014 ballot in West Virginia as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The measure would have provided for the election of six to eight members, based on congressional districts, to the West Virginia Board of Education, along with three additional members appointed by the governor and approved by the senate.

The measure's assigned name was School Board Election Amendment.

The proposed amendment was sponsored in the West Virginia Legislature by State Senator Craig P. Blair (R-15) as Senate Joint Resolution 13.

Text of measure

Ballot summary

The proposed ballot purpose summary would have read as follows:

“

The purpose of this amendment is to increase accountability for the implementation of education policies affecting West Virginia children by reforming the West Virginia Board of Education so that a majority of the members are elected based on their congressional district, and three members are appointed by the Governor.

”

Constitutional changes

The proposed amendment would have amended Section 2 of Article XII of the Constitution of West Virginia:

§2. Supervision of public schools. The general supervision of the free public schools of the State shall be vested in the West Virginia Board of Education, which shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by law. The board shall consist of nine members, to be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, for overlapping terms of nine years, except that the original appointments shall be for terms of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine years, respectively. No more than five members of the board shall belong to the same political party, and in addition to the general qualifications otherwise required by the Constitution, an equal number of members, with the total number set by general law, residing in each congressional district, along with three additional members appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The number of members elected to the board may not number fewer than six or more that eight. Elected members shall be elected to staggered six year terms, as determined by general law. Elections shall be held on a nonpartisan basis. The Legislature may require other specific qualifications for membership on the board. No member of the board may be removed from office by the Governor except for official misconduct, incompetence, neglect of duty or gross immorality, and then only in the manner prescribed by law for the removal by the Governor of state elective officers.

Support

Supporters

• Sen. Donna Boley (R-3)
• Sen. Craig P. Blair (R-15)
• Sen. Bill Cole (R-6)
• Sen. Evan Jenkins (R-5)
• Sen. David Nohe (R-3)
• Sen. David Sypolt (R-14)
• Sen. Chris Walters (R-8)

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the West Virginia Constitution

According to the West Virginia Constitution, a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the West Virginia Legislature was required to refer the amendment to the ballot.

See also

Suggest a link

• 2014 ballot measures
• West Virginia 2014 ballot measures

External links

• Senate Joint Resolution 13

Footnotes

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