The Mankato Area Pubic Schools are looking for great candidates to run for School Board in this November’s election. Is that you or someone you know?

Like it or not, for good or bad, local government has a big impact on businesses in Greater Mankato and indeed, our overall community. Luckily, we have a strong tradition of well-run, financially-strong, clean local governments that have been a great asset, but this didn’t come by accident. It took dedicated women and men willing to step up and bring their expertise and sound judgment to bear in service to the public. Always remember that it only takes one election to make a mess of the progress we’ve collectively worked so hard to earn in our community. To be clear, this isn’t a statement about those currently in office, rather an argument that our democracy works best when we are engaged and involved in our government. That’s why it is critical that citizens are able to choose from a strong slate of candidates for local office at this November’s election.

So how can we make that happen? First and foremost, leaders in our business community ought to be considering if they could be a good candidate for School Board. The filing period to submit your name for the ballot begins 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 and ends 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2020.

Candidates who wish to place their names on the ballot may pick up the necessary forms in the district’s deputy clerk office located in the Superintendent’s Office in Suite 2 on the first floor of the Intergovernmental Center at 10 Civic Center Plaza. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is a $2 filing fee for the school district office and an affidavit of candidacy must be submitted to the deputy clerk during the posted filing period.

A candidate for this office must be an eligible voter, must be 21 years of age or more on assuming office, must have been a resident of this school district for 30 days before the election, must not be a registered sex offender and must have no other affidavit on file for any other office at the same general election.

If you are thinking about running for School Board, the district has posted several resources that provide further insight into the process and the role of board members aquí.