Ahead of school board elections on May 10, voters will have the opportunity to interact with candidates and hear their thoughts on a variety of educational issues.

The First State Action Fund has partnered with 10 education and civic organizations around the state to sponsor forums in the weeks leading up to the vote. The #GetOnBoardDE initiative was launched to encourage voters to hear the opinions of candidates to make an informed decision with their vote.

Organizations such as the Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence, ACLU Delaware, Delaware PTA, the League of Women Voters of Delaware and more have stepped up to sponsor the series.

The forums will take place virtually on Zoom and voters can register to take part at VoteDelaware.org/events.

The opportunity for candidates to converse with voters is one that First State Action Fund Director of Communications Liz Parlett Butcher said was the main goal behind the series. She said it could not have been set up without the help of the First State Action Fund’s partners and that she hopes voters will take the time to learn about the candidates.

“I think its really important to hold these forums to give the voters in Delaware an opportunity to hear from the candidates themselves,” Ms. Parlett Butcher said.

“These educational issues matter and so many people don’t realize that school boards are responsible for overseeing the local school budget, implementing the curriculum that students will be learning from, among other responsibilities. Voters should realize the importance that school boards play in our children’s education.”

The first installment of the series is a forum for Red Clay Consolidated School District Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. The district will see a four-way race for Ashley Sabo’s seat in nominating District C. Ms. Sabo is running for re-election, competing against Jim Casper, Jordan Edgerton, and Vic Leonard, Sr.

The next forum will take place Tuesday from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. as voters will have a chance to interact with candidates for the Capital School District school board. There is one contested race as Felecia Duggins challenges incumbent board member Joan Engel.

The Milford School District, who will see one uncontested and one contested race, will hold its forum Thursday from to 7 p.m. Scott L. Fitzgerald will run unopposed in District D, and Jalyn Powell and Matthew Bucher will seek the at-large seat to replace incumbent vice president Rony Baltazar-Lopez, who is not seeking another term. Samuel Millman, who ran for Mr. Baltazar-Lopez’s seat, withdrew his name March 28.

Candidates for the Appoquinimink School District School Board will be available on May 2 from 6 to 6:45 p.m. The district will hold one contested race as board member Shawn Rohe seeks re-election for the at-large bid opposed by Nichelle DeWitt, who is seeking her first term on the Appoquinimink school board.

Caesar Rodney School District’s school board forum will take place on May 2 from 7 to 8 p.m. when Lorenzo G. Hopkins and board member David Failing will be available to virtually meet and talk with voters.

The final installment of the school board series will take place on May 3 as candidates for the Colonial School District will meet. The lone contested race for Colonial will see Leo B. Magee Sr. running for re-election against Keenan Dorsey Sr. in District E.

Despite there not being forums for every contested school board race in Delaware, there are other districts that have seats open.

In Kent County, Lake Forest School District board member Phillip Thomas will not seek re-election for his expiring term, and three candidates are running for the at-large nomination. Betty Anne Wyatt, DJ W. Silicato and Jake Martinez will compete for the expired seat left by Mr. Thomas.

In the Smyrna School District, current district board of education vice president Ventra Evans-Gunter will seek re-election against candidates Jonathan Snow and Brian Clement. Another contested race will see Chris Scuse, Donna Austin, Jeffrey Battaglia and Joshua Seeney compete for Scot McClymont’s vacated seat.

In Sussex County, Delmar School District will see Dawn Adkins and Lauren Hudson compete for the seat currently held by Thomas Elliott.

Laurel School District School Board President Linda Hitchens will seek reelection against Joe Kelley in the district’s lone contested race.

Candidates George W. Del Farno and Marcus Wright are seeking the seat currently held by Troy Purnell in the Seaford School District.

In Woodbridge, Corey Grammar and Rita Hovermale are candidates for the lone seat in May’s elections. The seat has become available as current school board president Paul “Mike” Breeding is not seeking another term after 17 years on the board.

Polls for Delaware’s school board elections will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and polling locations and additional information can be found here.