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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Blackford School Board

3 seats on the Blackford County Schools's board are on this year's ballot, with 5 names on them. Which seats appear on your ballot depends on where in the corporation you live.

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What a school board does

A school board is the elected or appointed governing body of a public school corporation, the legal unit that runs a local school district [1, 2]. The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts policies, and approves the annual budget, while the superintendent and staff run schools day to day [3]. Most boards have five or seven members serving staggered four-year terms [3]. Starting in 2026, candidates may list a political party, run as independents, or list no affiliation on the ballot, and there is no primary for these seats [2, 4].

Term
4 years, with elections staggered so part of the board is chosen every two years [3]
Elected
At the November general election (November 3, 2026, or November 2028 for some seats); depending on the local organization plan, members represent the whole school corporation (at large) or a district within it, and some boards are wholly or partly appointed [2]
Ballot label
Each candidate chooses a party label, 'Independent', or no affiliation, shown next to the name; no primary and no straight-ticket voting for these races [2, 4]
Pay
Set by board resolution: an annual amount of no more than 10% of the lowest starting teacher salary in the school corporation, plus a capped per diem [5]
On the 2026 ballot
632 races in 276 school corporations; 1,035 candidates, 197 races contested [6]
What the law puts in this job (12)
  • Hires, evaluates and can dismiss the superintendent, and approves the hiring and firing of principals, teachers and other staff recommended by the superintendent [1, 7, 3].
  • Adopts the annual budget, appropriates funds and oversees school finances [1, 3].
  • Decides whether to ask voters to approve an operating referendum (an extra property tax levy); the board adopts the resolution and the Department of Local Government Finance reviews the ballot language for compliance with state law [8].
  • Approves contracts, buys and sells property, and decides on construction, repair and demolition of school buildings [1].
  • Bargains with the teachers' union over salary, wages and wage-related benefits such as health insurance and retirement; state law excludes teacher evaluation procedures from those bargaining subjects [9].
  • Writes and updates policies and rules for schools, often in a policy handbook, including the student handbook [1, 3].
  • Buys curricular materials, provides them to students without charge, and runs programs such as student transportation and school lunch [1].
  • Must adopt a process for parents and residents to ask that library material be removed as obscene or harmful to minors, review requests at public meetings and keep a public catalog of library materials [10].
  • Hears written appeals of student expulsions, unless the board has voted not to hear them [11].
  • Must take official action openly; Indiana's Open Door Law says public agencies' official action is to be conducted openly so the people may be fully informed [12, 13].
  • A school board member must have lived in the school corporation (and, for a district seat, the district) for at least one year before the election, and a teacher or other employee of the school corporation may not serve on its board [2].
  • What the board does not control: the State Board of Education adopts statewide academic standards [14], the General Assembly sets the state school funding formula in the state budget [15], and voucher (Choice Scholarship) eligibility is set by state law [16].

The job in full — what the Indiana Code puts in it, what it pays, and what to ask a candidate.

What has changed in this job lately

Changes in the law the next officeholder will work under, most distant first.

  1. 2025

    Senate Enrolled Act 287 allowed school board candidates to declare a party affiliation; the Indiana School Boards Association opposed the change, and a supporter quoted by WNDU, a Noblesville school board member, said it adds transparency [17].

  2. 2026

    Candidates choose a party, 'Independent' or no affiliation on their nominating petition, and that choice appears on the ballot; a candidate claiming the Democratic or Republican party must have voted in that party's primary in the two most recent primaries they voted in, or have certification from the county party chair, or can be challenged and removed from the ballot [2].

  3. July 2026

    Chalkbeat reported, citing Indiana School Boards Association data, that 524 of 1,044 candidates chose a party, about 72% of them Republicans [18]; the Indiana Election Division's 2026 guidance and the wording of the law differ on the primary-voting test, a question county election boards decide [19].

  4. February 2026

    Senate Enrolled Act 25 set the order of school board candidates on the ballot, grouped by party, with candidates who list no affiliation placed after the party and independent candidates [20].

  5. 2025

    Senate Enrolled Act 1, a property tax law, limits how much operating revenue districts can raise through taxes and restricts school referendums to statewide general elections in even-numbered years [21, 22].

  6. 2025

    The same law requires districts to share operating revenue with brick-and-mortar charter schools that enroll their students, statewide starting in 2028 [21, 22].

  7. 2025

    The state budget opened Choice Scholarship vouchers to all Indiana families starting in June 2026 [16].

  8. 2026

    The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, rather than the Indianapolis Public Schools board, now certifies Indianapolis Public Schools referendum questions for the ballot [20].

  9. 2023

    Senate Enrolled Act 391 changed the so-called $1 law so the Indiana Department of Education can order districts that lost at least 10% of enrollment over five years to close schools under 60% capacity and offer them to charter schools [23].

  10. 2023

    House Enrolled Act 1447 required school districts to set up procedures for complaints that library material is obscene or harmful to minors [10].

About Blackford County Schools

  • Blackford County Schools, based in Hartford City, serves most of Blackford County; part of the county lies in Jay School Corporation, whose board races are listed for both Blackford and Jay counties [6]. State enrollment counts were 1,471 students in 2023-24, 1,412 in 2024-25 and 1,384 in 2025-26, down from 1,586 in 2018-19 [24]. The state ballot list calls the office 'Blackford Community School Board' [6].
  • Superintendent: Chad Yencer. The Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents named him its 2025-26 District VI Superintendent of the Year [25].
  • The board has five members: three elected from districts and two at large [26, 27]. The District 1-3 seats were filled in 2018 and 2022, and the two at-large seats in 2020 and 2024; Troy Kaufman and Nikki Gorrell won the at-large seats in 2024 [27, 28, 29, 30]. For 2023 the board chose Phil Jones as president, Troy Kaufman as vice president and Jimmy Lytle, then its newest member, as secretary [31].
  • Seats on the 2026 ballot: Districts 1, 2 and 3, one seat each [6]. District 1 has no incumbent among the candidates: Melinda Huber and Kyle J Pitts are running, and board member Jimmy Lytle, elected in 2022, is not on the 2026 candidate list [28, 31, 6]. District 2 incumbent Scott Malott is unopposed. District 3 incumbent Phil Jones faces Kerra Armstrong [6].
  • Party labels: 2026 is the first year Indiana school board candidates may declare a party [2, 4]. Jones and Malott did not; Pitts and Armstrong filed as Republicans and Huber as an Independent [6].
  • Facilities: on March 10, 2026 the district broke ground on a 700-seat performing arts center just north of Blackford Junior-Senior High School, to be completed in May 2027. The district says the board kept the current tax rate and is not seeking additional taxes to pay for it [32, 33].
  • Academics: Blackford's IREAD third-grade reading pass rate was 91.8% in 2026 (90 of 98 students), up from 81% in 2025, 77.3% in 2024 and 72.5% in 2023; the statewide rate in 2026 was 88.7% [34, 35, 36].
  • The superintendent's tenure, the cost of the performing arts center, and other recent district facility and academic updates could not be confirmed from freely available sources.
  • Budget: this guide found no reporting on how the 2025 property-tax law (SEA 1) affects Blackford County Schools, and no operating or safety referendum.
  • Forums: this guide found no 2026 candidate forum, questionnaire or campaign website for any Blackford candidate. The district website could not be loaded.

Blackford Community School Board, District 1

2 candidates

Melinda Huber

Independent

Candidate for the District 1 seat, which has no incumbent among the candidates; listed as an Independent [6].

How Huber got on the ballot

  • Filed June 17, 2026 as an Independent [6].

What we could not find about Huber

  • This guide found no candidate website, social-media page, questionnaire, forum appearance or news interview for this candidate.
  • Occupation, community roles and ties to the schools are not reported.
  • No statements found on the board's record, the performing arts center project, the budget or other district issues.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance reports found.

Sources for Huber

Kyle J Pitts

Republican

Candidate for the District 1 seat, which has no incumbent among the candidates; listed as a Republican [6].

Pitts's background

  • A 'Kyle J Pitts' was a Blackford County Schools board candidate in November 2022, receiving 991 votes; Jimmy Lytle, who now holds the District 1 seat, received 1,739 [28]. The state results do not list seats, so it is not confirmed that the two met in the same race.

How Pitts got on the ballot

  • Filed June 18, 2026 as a Republican [6].

What we could not find about Pitts

  • This guide found no candidate website, social-media page, questionnaire, forum appearance or news interview for this candidate.
  • Occupation, community roles and ties to the schools are not reported.
  • No statements found on the board's record, the performing arts center project, the budget or other district issues.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance reports found.

Sources for Pitts

Blackford Community School Board, District 2

Unopposed

Scott Malott

Nonpartisan

Incumbent, unopposed for another term; did not declare a party [6].

Malott's background

  • Has served on the board since at least 2016 [26]. He was re-elected in 2022 as 'Scott A Malott' with 2,483 votes [28].

Malott on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member. This guide found no statement from him about the board's record.

How Malott got on the ballot

  • Filed June 11, 2026 without declaring a party; the state list shows him as Nonpartisan [6].

What we could not find about Malott

  • No campaign statements, questionnaire answers or interviews found; the seat is uncontested.
  • Occupation and community roles are not reported.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance reports found.
  • His 2018 race could not be confirmed from freely available sources.

Sources for Malott

Blackford Community School Board, District 3

2 candidates

Kerra Armstrong

Republican

Challenger to incumbent Phil Jones in District 3; listed as a Republican [6].

How Armstrong got on the ballot

  • Filed June 18, 2026 as a Republican [6].

What we could not find about Armstrong

  • This guide found no candidate website, social-media page, questionnaire, forum appearance or news interview for this candidate.
  • Occupation, community roles and ties to the schools are not reported.
  • No statements found on the board's record, the performing arts center project, the budget or other district issues.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance reports found.

Sources for Armstrong

Phil Jones

Nonpartisan

Incumbent, running for another term without a party designation [6].

Jones's background

  • Has served on the board since at least 2016 [26]. He was re-elected in 2022 with 2,381 votes [28].
  • Was board president in 2023 [31].

Jones on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member and was its president in 2023 [31]. This guide found no freely available statement from him about the board's record.

How Jones got on the ballot

  • Filed June 17, 2026 without declaring a party; the state list shows him as Nonpartisan [6].

What we could not find about Jones

  • No 2026 campaign statements, questionnaire answers or interviews found.
  • Occupation and community roles are not reported.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance reports found.
  • His 2018 race, his current board office and his public comments on district leadership could not be confirmed from freely available sources.

Sources for Jones

Key points

  • Blackford County Schools, based in Hartford City, serves most of Blackford County; part of the county lies in Jay School Corporation, whose board races are listed for both Blackford and Jay counties. (Indiana Election Division)
  • Superintendent: Chad Yencer. The Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents named him its 2025-26 District VI Superintendent of the Year. (Hartford City News-Times)
  • The board has five members: three elected from districts and two at large. The District 1-3 seats were filled in 2018 and 2022, and the two at-large seats in 2020 and 2024; Troy Kaufman and Nikki Gorrell won the at-large seats in 2024. (Hartford City News-Times)

Sources

Researched Saturday, October 10, 2026

  1. Indiana Code 20-26-5-4: Specific powers of governing body (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  2. 2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (School Board Offices) (Indiana Election Division)
  3. 800 school board seats are up for election in Indiana (Chalkbeat Indiana / WFYI)
  4. Why there are no education elections on your primary ballot (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  5. Indiana Code 20-26-4-7: Compensation of governing body members (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  6. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  7. Indiana Code 20-26-5-4.5: Selection and discharge of employees (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  8. School Tax Levy Referendum (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
  9. Indiana Code 20-29-6-4: Subjects of collective bargaining (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  10. Obscene, or just objectionable? Here's how Indiana schools are tackling library book complaints (Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism / Indiana Capital Chronicle)
  11. Indiana Code 20-33-8-19: Expulsion appeals (FindLaw (Indiana Code))
  12. Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-1: Open Door Law policy (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  13. What We Do (Indiana Public Access Counselor)
  14. Indiana Code 20-31-3-1: State academic standards (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  15. Indiana K-12 State Tuition Support Annual Report FY2023 (Indiana Department of Education)
  16. Indiana lawmakers expand voucher eligibility, increase school funding in budget (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  17. Indiana school board candidates split 50-50 on affiliating with a party (WNDU)
  18. 5 takeaways from Chalkbeat's panel on Indiana's changes to school board elections and referendums (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  19. Confusion on partisan school board law puts two IPS candidates' spots at risk (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  20. 2026 Indiana Election Legislation Summary (Indiana Election Division)
  21. Indiana school referendum elections: Districts seek funding for teacher pay, class size, buses (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  22. Indiana school district referendum guide 2026: What to know about your district's requested tax increase (WFYI and Chalkbeat Indiana (via WVXU))
  23. Indiana charter schools could now have an easier path to acquiring district buildings (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  24. Corporation Enrollment by Grade Level, 2006-26 (Indiana Department of Education)
  25. Yencer selected for district honor (Hartford City News-Times)
  26. Two at-large Blackford school board seats on fall ballot (Hartford City News-Times)
  27. School board candidates on November ballot (Hartford City News-Times)
  28. Historical Election Results: Nov. 8, 2022 General Election, Blackford County (School Board Member) (Indiana Election Division (IndianaVoters))
  29. Historical Election Results: Nov. 3, 2020 General Election, Blackford County (School Board Member) (Indiana Election Division (IndianaVoters))
  30. Historical Election Results: Nov. 5, 2024 General Election, Blackford County (School Board Member) (Indiana Election Division (IndianaVoters))
  31. BCS School Board reorganizes for 2023 (Blackford County Schools)
  32. Groundbreaking kicks off BCS Performing Arts Center construction (Blackford County Schools)
  33. Coming in May 2027: BCS Performing Arts Center (Blackford County Schools)
  34. 2026 IREAD Corporation and School Results (Indiana Department of Education)
  35. 2026 IREAD Statewide Results (Indiana Department of Education)
  36. Data Reports Archive: IREAD-3 corporation and school results, 2023-2025 (Indiana Department of Education)
What's included
the U.S. House, statewide offices, every Indiana House and Senate district on the ballot, Indiana's statewide public questions and judicial retention questions, and county, township, city, town and school board races from the Indiana Election Division's candidate list.
Everything else
Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: IndianaVoters.in.gov.
Candidate lists
As of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
At the polls
Indiana law lets you bring a list of candidates and public questions into the polling place, including one stored on your phone, as long as you don't electioneer. IC 3-11-8-18.5

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.