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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Greater Clark School Board

3 seats on the Greater Clark 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 Greater Clark County Schools

  • Greater Clark County Schools serves southern and eastern Clark County, including Jeffersonville, Utica, Charlestown, New Washington and parts of Clarksville, with three high schools (Jeffersonville, Charlestown and New Washington Middle/High) [24].
  • The board has seven members, one from each of seven districts, serving staggered four-year terms [25, 26]. Current members: John Buckwalter (president, District 3), Teresa Bottorff Perkins (vice president, District 7), Keith Freeman (secretary, District 6), Brian Jones (District 1), Katie Hutchinson (District 2), Tammy Mustain (District 4) and Chelsea Crump (District 5) [25]. The district describes members as elected at large by voters in specified geographic districts [25].
  • Three seats are on the 2026 ballot, each 'vote for one', matching the state list [27, 6]: District 1 (Washington, Bethlehem, Owen and Oregon townships), District 3 (Utica Township) and District 4 (a western part of Jeffersonville Township) [26]. The three members whose terms run 2023-2026 (Jones, Buckwalter and Mustain) are on the ballot for their seats [25, 28, 6]. Only District 1 is contested: Jones faces Margot Davidson and Zachary Silverstein; Buckwalter and Mustain are the only candidates listed for their districts [28, 6].
  • Party labels: 2026 is the first Indiana election in which school board candidates could declare a party; Silverstein is the only Greater Clark candidate listed with one (Libertarian) [28, 6]. In spring 2026 the board said it was grappling with how to address the change to board elections [29].
  • Budget and SEA 1: in October 2025 the board unanimously approved a 2026 budget advertised at $207.4 million, planning to raise taxes to offset challenges from the state's new property-tax law [30, 31]. Reporting on the 2027 budget was not found.
  • Other 2025-2026 items: a GEAR UP college-preparation program offered in the district ended after the federal grant behind it was terminated in 2025 [32]; in spring 2026 the board was working on policies to carry out the state's ban on cell phones in schools [29].
  • Forums: no 2026 candidate forum or questionnaire for Greater Clark races was found.

District 1

3 candidates

Margot Davidson

Nonpartisan

Challenger for District 1; listed without a party label [28, 6].

How Davidson got on the ballot

  • On the ballot for District 1 without a party label (nonpartisan) [28, 6].

What we could not find about Davidson

  • No candidate website, questionnaire, forum remarks or interview found; no stated positions found.
  • Her occupation and background could not be confirmed from freely available sources.
  • No occupation or community background was confirmed from freely available sources.
  • No campaign finance report or endorsement for 2026 was found in fetched sources.

Sources for Davidson

Brian Jones

Nonpartisan

Incumbent; his current term runs 2023-2026 [25].

Jones on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member [25]. No account by him of the board's record was found in fetched sources.

How Jones got on the ballot

  • On the ballot for District 1 without a party label (nonpartisan) [28, 6].

What we could not find about Jones

  • No candidate website, questionnaire, forum remarks or interview found; how he first won the seat in 2022 was not confirmed.
  • No occupation or community background was found in fetched sources.
  • No campaign finance report or endorsement for 2026 was found in fetched sources.

Sources for Jones

Zachary Silverstein

Libertarian

Challenger for District 1, listed as Libertarian [28, 6].

How Silverstein got on the ballot

  • On the ballot for District 1 as a Libertarian [28, 6].

What we could not find about Silverstein

  • No candidate website, questionnaire, forum remarks or interview found.
  • His occupation and background could not be confirmed from freely available sources.
  • No occupation or community background was confirmed from freely available sources.
  • No campaign finance report or endorsement for 2026 was found in fetched sources.

Sources for Silverstein

District 3

Unopposed

John Buckwalter

Nonpartisan

Incumbent and board president; the only candidate listed for District 3 [25, 6].

Buckwalter's background

  • In 2018 he was a STEM teacher educator and career and technical education instructor at IUPUI [33], and described himself as a lifelong educator [34].

Buckwalter's positions

Teachers & staff

  • At a 2018 forum, said earlier surveys had been conducted but not acted upon and that addressing that is the board's purpose [34].

School safety

  • At a March 2026 board meeting, said the board, teachers and administrators were preparing to carry out the state's school cell phone ban [29].

Buckwalter on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member and the board president [25].

How Buckwalter got on the ballot

  • On the ballot for District 3 without a party label (nonpartisan) [28, 6].
  • First ran for District 3 in 2018, when incumbent Mark Pavey did not seek re-election [33, 34].

What we could not find about Buckwalter

  • Current occupation not confirmed for 2026; background details date from 2018.
  • No 2026 campaign platform found (he is the only candidate for his district).
  • His views on the 2025 law allowing party labels in school board races could not be confirmed from freely available sources.
  • No campaign finance report or endorsement for 2026 was found in fetched sources.

Sources for Buckwalter

District 4

Unopposed

Tamara Tammy Yenawine Mustain

Nonpartisan

Incumbent; the only candidate listed for District 4 [25, 6].

Mustain on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member; her term runs 2023-2026 [25].

How Mustain got on the ballot

  • On the ballot for District 4 without a party label (nonpartisan) [28, 6].

What we could not find about Mustain

  • No candidate website, questionnaire or interview found; how she first joined the board was not confirmed.
  • No occupation or community background was found in fetched sources.
  • No campaign finance report or endorsement for 2026 was found in fetched sources.

Sources for Mustain

Key points

  • Budget and SEA 1: in October 2025 the board unanimously approved a 2026 budget advertised at $207.4 million, planning to raise taxes to offset challenges from the state's new property-tax law. Reporting on the 2027 budget was not found. (News and Tribune)
  • Greater Clark County Schools serves southern and eastern Clark County, including Jeffersonville, Utica, Charlestown, New Washington and parts of Clarksville, with three high schools (Jeffersonville, Charlestown and New Washington Middle/High). (Wikipedia)
  • The board has seven members, one from each of seven districts, serving staggered four-year terms. (Greater Clark County Schools)

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. Greater Clark County Schools (Wikipedia)
  25. Board of School Trustees (Greater Clark County Schools)
  26. School Board Districts and Boundaries (Clark County Clerk)
  27. Sample Ballots, November 2026 General Election (Clark County Clerk)
  28. Here's who's running for local seats in Clark and Floyd counties (Louisville Public Media)
  29. Greater Clark school board grappling with school cell phone bans, changes to elections (News and Tribune)
  30. Greater Clark County Schools approves budget with tax increase (News and Tribune)
  31. Greater Clark presents 2026 budget, higher tax rate proposed (News and Tribune)
  32. Greater Clark college prep program to end after federal funding cut (News and Tribune)
  33. Three newcomers eye Greater Clark County Schools District 3 seat (News and Tribune)
  34. Meet the Candidates: Greater Clark County School Board (The Hyphen)
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.