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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Morgan Mooresville School Board

3 seats on the Mooresville Con School Corp'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.

About Mooresville Con School Corp

  • Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation serves the Town of Mooresville and Brown, Madison and Harrison townships in northern Morgan County, southwest of Indianapolis [24].
  • The district runs Mooresville High School, Paul Hadley Middle School and five elementary schools (Neil Armstrong, Newby, North Madison, Northwood and Waverly) [25]; Mooresville High School enrolled about 1,380 students in 2023-24 [24]. A district-wide enrollment figure was not found.
  • The superintendent is Dr. Jake Allen, who describes himself as a 20-year employee of the district [26].
  • The Board of School Trustees has five members; the district website lists seats by area: Tim Cummins (president, Harrison Township), Jen Reed (vice president, Madison Township), Matt Saner (secretary, Brown Township), Dave Oberle (Town of Mooresville) and Deon Brimmage (at-large) [25].
  • In February 2025 Indiana State Board of Education staff recommended approval of a change to the corporation's governing body plan that the school board had initiated by resolution [27]. The memo reviewed does not describe the new seat structure.
  • Three seats are on the 2026 ballot, each electing one member: District 1, where board member Dave Oberle is unopposed; District 2, where board member Matt Saner is unopposed; and District 5 (listed by the state as At Large, District 5), where appointed board member Deon Brimmage faces Sharon (France) Atwood and Lea Sharp [28, 6].
  • All five 2026 candidates are listed as Republicans; 2026 is the first Indiana election in which school board candidates may run with a party label, and no primary is held, so several candidates of one party can run for the same seat [28, 29, 6].
  • Brimmage was appointed to the board at the end of 2024 to fill a vacancy [28].
  • Budget (2027): the district advertised a 2027 budget of $61.5 million, including $34.1 million for the education fund, $16.2 million for operations and $9.1 million for debt service, with a public hearing on September 8, 2026 and adoption set for October 6, 2026; the notice estimates $845,400 in property tax cap credits [30].
  • Borrowing (2026): in June 2026 the board preliminarily determined to issue up to $6 million in bonds for renovations and improvements across the district, including site and athletic work, technology, buses and equipment [31]; in September 2026 it preliminarily determined to issue up to $5.5 million in bonds to refinance Series 2019 building corporation bonds [32].
  • Career programs (December 2025): the board approved an agreement with the Mooresville Redevelopment Commission to establish a Paxton-Patterson career center at Paul Hadley Middle School starting in 2026-27 [33].
  • Board meetings: regular meetings are generally held the second Tuesday of each month at the Education Center, with recordings posted on demand [34].
  • No candidate forum was found. The Morgan County Correspondent's October 2026 voter guide published questionnaire answers from Brimmage and Sharp for District 5; Atwood did not respond, and the uncontested District 1 and 2 races were not included [35].

District 1

Unopposed

David Oberle

Republican

Incumbent board member (listed by the district as Dave Oberle, Town of Mooresville seat), running unopposed as a Republican [28, 25, 6].

Oberle's background

  • Serves on the board in the seat the district lists as Town of Mooresville; he held the same seat in January 2024 [25, 36].

Oberle on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member [25]. No public statement from him on the board's record was found.

How Oberle got on the ballot

  • Filed for reelection in District 1 by the June 2026 deadline and is the only candidate for the seat [28].
  • Listed on the ballot as a Republican [6].

What we could not find about Oberle

  • No occupation, campaign website, questionnaire or interview was found; the Morgan County Correspondent voter guide covered only the contested District 5 race.
  • The year he first joined the board was not confirmed.
  • No campaign finance filings were found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports for this race were found in the sources reviewed.

Sources for Oberle

District 2

Unopposed

Matt Saner

Republican

Incumbent board member and current board secretary, running unopposed as a Republican [28, 25, 6].

Saner's background

  • Is board secretary; the district website lists him in the Brown Township seat [25].
  • Was board president, listed in an at-large seat, in January 2024 [36].

Saner on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member [25]. No public statement from him on the board's record was found.

How Saner got on the ballot

  • Filed for reelection in District 2 by the June 2026 deadline and is the only candidate for the seat [28].
  • Listed on the ballot as a Republican [6].

What we could not find about Saner

  • No occupation, campaign website, questionnaire or interview was found.
  • Why the district lists him in a different seat (Brown Township) than in January 2024 (at-large) was not explained in the sources reviewed; it may relate to the 2025 governing body plan change.
  • No campaign finance filings were found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports for this race were found in the sources reviewed.

Sources for Saner

At Large, District 5

3 candidates

Sharon (France) Atwood

Republican

Candidate challenging Brimmage for the District 5 seat as a Republican; did not respond to the Morgan County Correspondent's voter guide [28, 35, 6].

How Atwood got on the ballot

  • Filed by the June 2026 deadline for the District 5 seat [28].
  • Listed on the ballot as a Republican [6].

What we could not find about Atwood

  • Did not respond to the Morgan County Correspondent voter guide; no occupation, background, positions, website or interview were found.
  • No campaign finance filings were found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports for this race were found in the sources reviewed.

Sources for Atwood

Deon Brimmage

Republican

Incumbent appointed to the board at the end of 2024, running in his first school board election as a Republican; works as a strategic deployment specialist at Franciscan Health [28, 35, 6].

Brimmage's background

  • Strategic deployment specialist at Franciscan Health; says he leads lean and rapid-improvement projects and manages projects to keep leaders on deadline [35].
  • Bachelor of science in business administration, University of Indianapolis, 1998 [35].
  • Volunteer coach for Mooresville wrestling; has a child in the district's schools [35].

Brimmage's positions

Budget & taxes

  • Says referendums are "required at times but only as a last resort," and that schools should show they have been financially responsible and tried cost-saving measures before asking taxpayers for more [35].
  • Lists effective allocation of resources with fiscal accountability as a core board duty [35].

Academics

  • Says SAT scores are not the only measure of success but that periodically offering test-preparation resources or classes would help raise scores [35].
  • Supports AI in schools "only as a tool to assist in the learning process," with students taught to use it responsibly and ethically [35].

Enrollment & school choice

  • To attract families, would continue strong academic and extracurricular programs, safe schools and career-focused pathways, and highlight student success [35].

Facilities

  • His top priority for a large donor-funded project would be a career and innovation center offering hands-on work in technology, skilled trades, engineering, health care and advanced manufacturing [35].

Transparency & community input

  • Says the board "does an excellent job of transparency," noting meetings are published in advance, open to the public and open to public comment [35].

How Brimmage would run the office

  • Says he would advocate for policies that keep schools safe and supportive for students and staff [35].

Brimmage on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member [25]. Describes the board's transparency positively and says he wants to build stronger relationships with staff and faculty [35].

How Brimmage got on the ballot

  • Appointed by the board in late 2024 to fill a vacancy; this is his first board election [28].
  • Listed on the ballot as a Republican [6]. Said he does not believe partisan school board races are necessary because board members must represent all families, and that he chose his affiliation because it reflects his personal values [35].

What we could not find about Brimmage

  • No campaign website or social media page was found.
  • No campaign finance filings were found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports for this race were found in the sources reviewed.

Sources for Brimmage

Lea Sharp

Republican

Payroll specialist in the Mooresville school district's business office and first-time board candidate, running as a Republican [35, 28, 6].

Sharp's background

  • Payroll specialist; lists 16 years as a Mooresville schools employee (payroll) and says she works in the district's business office [35].
  • Retired from UPS, where she was a part-time safety supervisor; also describes herself as a business owner/operator [35].
  • Associate degree from ITT Technical Institute, with additional business courses at the University of Indianapolis; has lived in the Mooresville area for more than 40 years [35].

Sharp's positions

Budget & taxes

  • On referendums, says voter decisions could help or hinder the district and that transparency about where tax money goes, and what would happen if state funds are lost, would help voters decide [35].
  • Cites her work on district finances as a qualification for overseeing budgets, contracts and expenditures [35].

Academics

  • To raise SAT scores, would identify learning gaps, provide academic support and give students access to effective test preparation [35].
  • Says AI can be positive but warns against students becoming dependent on computers and not thinking for themselves [35].

Enrollment & school choice

  • Says parents should have a voice in choosing their child's school, and suggests a community questionnaire to learn why families do not choose Mooresville [35].

Facilities

  • For a large donor-funded project, would create a dedicated technology classroom with trained teachers [35].

Transparency & community input

  • Says she is running because she has "witnessed and experienced voices ignored in a past school board meeting" [35].
  • Says board meetings offer chances to be heard, but the board should encourage more involvement and build trust by being more transparent about decisions and spending [35].

How Sharp would run the office

  • Would base decisions on facts and work with administrators and fellow board members even when opinions differ [35].

Sharp on the current officeholder

  • Says voices were ignored at a past board meeting and that the board needs more transparency about how decisions are made and how taxpayer dollars are spent; she did not name specific decisions [35].

How Sharp got on the ballot

  • Filed by the June 2026 deadline to challenge Brimmage for the District 5 seat [28].
  • Listed on the ballot as a Republican [6]. Said she has voted Republican because the party best represents her beliefs, but that politics should be kept "in the Civic class" [35].

What we could not find about Sharp

  • The sources reviewed did not say whether she would keep her district payroll job if elected or how any conflict of interest would be handled.
  • Her business was not named.
  • No campaign website or social media page was found.
  • No campaign finance filings were found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports for this race were found in the sources reviewed.

Sources for Sharp

Key points

  • Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation serves the Town of Mooresville and Brown, Madison and Harrison townships in northern Morgan County, southwest of Indianapolis. (Wikipedia)
  • The district runs Mooresville High School, Paul Hadley Middle School and five elementary schools (Neil Armstrong, Newby, North Madison, Northwood and Waverly); Mooresville High School enrolled about 1,380 students in 2023-24. (Mooresville Schools)
  • The superintendent is Dr. Jake Allen, who describes himself as a 20-year employee of the district. (Mooresville 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. Mooresville High School (Indiana) (Wikipedia)
  18. Members (Mooresville Schools)
  19. Office of Superintendent (Mooresville Schools)
  20. Approval of Governing Body Change - Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation (Indiana State Board of Education)
  21. Morgan County school board candidates set for general election (Morgan County Correspondent)
  22. FAQ: How to run for school board in Indiana (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  23. Notice to Taxpayers, 2027 Budget (Budget Form 3) (Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation)
  24. Notice of Determination: 2026 general obligation bonds (Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation)
  25. Notice of Determination: refinancing of Series 2019 bonds (Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation)
  26. Mooresville school board approves college and career lab (Morgan County Correspondent)
  27. Public Announcements (board meeting schedule) (Mooresville Schools)
  28. 2026 Election Voter Guide: Mooresville School Board, District 5 (page V6) (Morgan County Correspondent)
  29. Pioneer Blast, January 11, 2024 (Mooresville Schools)
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.