This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A majority of Utahns prefer nonpartisan elections for the state school board, according to a new poll by UtahPolicy.com.
Of the 606 registered voters polled, 56 percent supported nonpartisan elections, compared to 27 percent who want school board candidates to be nominated by a political party.
Another 12 percent said school board members should be appointed by the governor.
Democrats were more likely to support nonpartisan elections, with nearly three fourths of those surveyed — 71 percent — preferring no party affiliation marked next to a candidate's name on the ballot.
But a plurality of Republicans also backed the idea, with nonpartisan elections remaining the most popular response for 48 percent of conservative voters polled. Among Republicans surveyed, 34 percent favored partisan elections and 13 percent supported gubernatorial selection.
The poll was conducted by Dan Jones and Associates from Feb. 2 to Feb. 9. It has a margin of error of 3.98 percent.
Utah lawmakers currently are considering a number of proposals to reform Utah's school board election process, which was effectively struck down in September by U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups.
Waddoups did not issue a final ruling at the time, but he allowed three previously rejected candidates to be placed on the ballot and wrote that the current candidate selection process violated free speech rights.
Among the bills currently under consideration are proposals for partisan elections, nonpartisan elections and a constitutional amendment to allow the governor to appoint school board members, subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Republican lawmakers recently discussed the various bills at caucus meetings but did not reach a consensus on how to proceed.