South Bend area voters getting informed on school board candidates

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- At-Large and district candidates for South Bend community school corporation participated in a public forum Tuesday evening at IU South Bend, allowing voters to make a more informed decision come Nov. 5.

Co-sponsored by the American Democracy Project at IU South Bend and the League of Women Voters of the South Bend Area, the forum featured two district three candidates: Bill Sniadecki and Catrina Baker, three district four candidates: Stephanie Ball, Carlos Leyva and Annette Malone, and four at-large candidates: Marcus Ellison, Gabe Kempf, Lynn King Jr. and Jeanette McCullough.

There was another at-large candidate, George Jones, who was unable to attended due to a schedule conflict but had a one-minute statement read in his absence.

The American Democracy Project Director, Elizabeth Bennion, hosted the forum. She explained the school board election is non-partisan, so if voters choose to vote with the straight ticket option, democrat or republican, they could miss elections like the South Bend school board.

“If they’re voting in person that means keep scrolling down your poll pad and don’t just skip to the end and make sure that you actually pick out those candidates,” said Bennion.

She went on to encourage all voters to attended any in-person election event they can, allowing voters to be as informed as they can about which candidate they want to check a box for.

“Particularly important in non-partisan races like school board, where they don’t have that short cut that so many people like to use of a D, an R, or an L by the candidate's name. They have to actually listen to hear what it is that these candidates bring to the table, what are their ideas, what are the skills that they bring with them, the experience, and so there’s no better way to do that then actually hear from the candidates themselves,” expressed Bennion.

To learn more information about the South Bend school board candidates, click here, where each candidate has personally outlined their vision for the district.