Election Activities Policy 4400
Community Relations
ELECTION ACTIVITIES
The district, as part of its mission to educate and instill civic virtue, will assure that public facilities are not be used to assist in any candidate’s campaign or to support or oppose any ballot measure, and will assure that the community is appropriately informed about district and education related ballot measures through objective and fair presentations of the facts related to those measures.
The board will consider adopting resolutions expressing the board’s collective opinion on ballot measures (state and local, including district levy and bond measures) that impact the effective operation of the schools. Such a resolution will be considered at a board meeting, the short title and proposition number of the ballot measure will be included in the meeting notice, and an equal opportunity will be provided for views on both sides of the issue to be expressed.
Prior to an election on a district ballot measure, the district will publish to the entire community an objective and fair presentation of the facts relevant to the ballot measure. Normal and regular publications of the district will also continue to be published during election cycles and may contain fair, objective and relevant discussions of the facts of pending election issues.
The superintendent is directed to develop procedures for implementing this policy and communicating the policy and procedures to staff.
Guidelines for school districts in election campaigns as required by the Public Disclosure Commission must be followed. The link to the Public Disclosure Commission is as follows: www.pdc.wa.gov.
Legal References:
| RCW 28A.320.090 | Preparing and distributing information on the district’s instructional program, operation and maintenance — Limitation |
| RCW 42.17.130 | Forbids use of public office or agency facilities in campaigns |
| WAC 390-05-271 | General application of RCW 42.17.130 |
| WAC 390-05-273 | Definition of normal and regular conduct |
Management Resources: Policy News, August 2001, PDC Issues Election Guidelines for Schools
Cross References: Board Policy 2022, Electronic Resources
Adopted: October 12, 2009