The Caucus process includes many steps between September and December, prior to a Municipal Election year (every two years).

The steps include:

  • The Caucus President, Vice President, and Secretary set the Fall schedule based off the election cycle deadlines for petition filing, usually the second Monday in December.
  • Public notice is shared with all available media (including School District and PTAs) to attract and invite any interested School District residents to:
    • a) serve as a member of the Caucus, and/or
    • b) be considered for election to the Board of Education and appear before the Caucus seeking its recommendation and support.
  • Ongoing Caucus efforts include attend School Board meeting(s) and relevant committee meetings to explain the Caucus process in an effort to attract interested candidates and to share that information with the Caucus.  The invitation to appear before Caucus includes any incumbent School Board member(s) seeking reelection.
  • Full Caucus meeting early November to discuss the process about to be embarked upon, any by-law changes, answer questions, orient new members, election of officers, etc.  This meeting includes a presentation by the District Superintendent and the School Board President or Member to offer information on the state of the district, current/upcoming issues/opportunities, the role and responsibilities of a school board member, considerations for qualifying for and serving on the Board of Education, and general question and answer.
  • Interested candidates complete and submit a basic written questionnaire sharing information about their background, experience, knowledge of school operations, and interest in being a board member.  The candidates’ completed questionnaires are then provided to all of the members of the full Caucus in preparation for the voting meeting.
  • To give the candidates a further opportunity to share relevant information, in a more interactive process, the Caucus Screening Committee (6 volunteer members) then sets up meetings for each of the candidates to share more detailed information about their background, qualifications and interest in serving on the School Board.  Each of the prospective candidates is asked the same questions, and their responses are then summarized in writing.  The Caucus Screening Committee provides written summaries of these interviews to the full Caucus.  The Committee does not make any recommendations.
  • The Caucus President, Vice-President, and Secretary run the final meeting pursuant to the by-law procedures for the conduct of the meeting and the completion of voting.  The Caucus President is not allowed to vote, and none of the officers make any recommendations.  The determination of which candidates receive the recommendation of the Caucus is made by a vote of the full Caucus.
  • The voting meeting allows each of the candidates the opportunity to personally appear before the Caucus, introduce themselves, the qualifications and their interest in running for the School Board.  There is also the opportunity for the members of the full Caucus to ask any questions they may have for the candidates and for the candidates to share additional information about their approach to serving as a school board member.
  • Following the presentations and Q&A for all candidates, the Caucus deliberates as a group regarding all of the information shared by the candidates; the questionnaires, the interview with the Screening Committee, and the personal appearance before the Caucus, and considers the respective qualifications of the various candidates considering the best possible fit for election to the Board of Education.  These decisions are difficult as there are typically many qualified candidates, but the Caucus is tasked with trying to identify which of the candidates are best suited and/or have the most to offer parents and the community in promoting the success of the students of the School District.
  • Following a full discussion by all members of the Caucus, the full Caucus votes to determine which candidates are recommended by the Caucus.  No person or individual determines which candidates are recommended.  While the membership of the Caucus can vary from election to election, this vote of the full Caucus generally involves between 40-55 members.
  • The Caucus then assists the candidates with the circulation of the nominating petition signature sheets and organization and filing of the nominating papers.  The members of the Caucus further answer questions about the candidates and engage in informal activities to encourage the community to vote for those candidates that have been recommended for election to the School Board.
  • Following the April Consolidated Election to fill the vacant seats on the Board of Education, the Caucus is in recess until the next election cycle begins approximately 18 months later.