When Noblesville School Board member Misti Ray campaigned for election in 2022, the top question she got was: what party are you with?

Back then, she’d tell people she was conservative. Now, up for reelection in the first cycle since the passage of a state law allowing party affiliation for school board candidates, she’ll be listed as a Republican on the ballot in November.

“It’s just the whole truth and transparency,” Ray said. “The more they know about you, I think the more comfortable people feel. Whether or not they agree with it might be a different story.”

Of the 1,043 school board candidates listed by the Indiana Election Division this year, 515 — just about half — declared no affiliation or stated they were non-partisan. Republicans made up the next biggest affiliation with 379, followed by 75 independents and 66 Democrats. Eight filed with a third party.

After similar attempts in years past, Senate Enrolled Act 287 barely made it into law in 2025, with disapproval from Democrats and some Republicans. Supporters contend the law will make school board elections more transparent, adding a label to races that were, essentially, already partisan. Critics argue it will inject politics where it shouldn’t be.

Indiana is one of five states that allow for school board members to affiliate with a party, according to Ballotpedia. Another five states provide for either partisan or nonpartisan races, depending on the district, while 40 states have no partisan labels.

The Indiana School Boards Association opposed the change, said Terry Spradlin, ISBA executive director, arguing boards have a narrow scope of responsibilities that should put students first.

“We all want students to graduate from high school, regardless of political affiliation,” he said.

There was no real change in the number of candidates who filed this year versus years past, Spradlin said. Prospective board members have always been able to make their positions public, he added, but the ability to affiliate on the ballot could draw clearer lines. It may also increase involvement from party officials in making endorsements.

Bonnie Kallis, chair of the American Solidarity Party of Indiana, thinks affiliation can help get the word out about ASP. Based on the ideas of Christian democracy, some of its platforms include supporting universal healthcare; opposing abortion, the death penalty and gay marriage; and aiding women and racial minorities who’ve faced “unique historical and current challenges.”

Four school board challengers statewide, including Kallis, affiliated with American Solidarity. The party supports parental decision making on children’s education, including through private-school vouchers, and a decreased reliance on technology in the classroom.

“Overall, our platform on education advocates for choices and options,” Kallis said.

Chase Nattkemper, 22, is also challenging an incumbent. In the three-way race for a Vigo School Board seat, he’s the only Republican; the other candidates didn’t affiliate.

He feels like there should be distance between politics and schools, but he chose to declare GOP affiliation out of transparency; he ran for county council as a Republican earlier this year. He hopes voters continue to pick people they think best represent them and their communities.

Nattkemper said he could see some candidates using affiliation to their advantage to capture partisan votes in districts that are heavily Republican or Democratic, but he believes the change to be largely helpful for connecting voters with school board hopefuls.

Travis Shepherd, longtime member of the Jennings County School Board of Trustees, felt the choice to not affiliate was made for him.

Indiana Court Rules restrict court employees from holding partisan elected office. Shepherd is a court employee. Lawmakers previously expressed similar concerns about the effect of school board affiliation on federal employees, many of whom are disallowed from partisan offices under the Hatch Act.

Shepherd can see both perspectives on the new law, but the change doesn’t bother him much. He said by doing his research on candidates, he’d be able to figure out where they stand on issues anyway.

Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com.