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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

South Adams School Board

2 seats on the South Adams Schools's board are on this year's ballot, with 4 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 South Adams Schools

  • The district: South Adams Schools has its office at 1075 Starfire Way in Berne, Adams County, and runs an elementary, a middle and a high school [24]. South Adams High School was formed by consolidating the Berne, Geneva, Hartford Township and Jefferson Township high schools, and it had 347 students in 2024–25, according to Wikipedia [25]. This guide did not find a current districtwide enrollment figure.
  • Superintendent: Superintendent Michelle Clouser Penrod announced in July 2025 that she would retire after the 2025–26 school year, and Meyer was selected to replace her [26]. The district's notice for the Feb. 10, 2026 contract hearing summarized an agreement employing Joseph Meyer as superintendent from July 1, 2026, with a $118,000 base salary [27, 28]. The district site lists Joe Meyer as superintendent [24].
  • The board: there are seven members, and each seat has a defined area [29]. District I is west of County Road 000 and south of State Highway 218, not counting Berne and Geneva [29]. District II is east of County Road 000 and south of SR 218, also not counting Berne and Geneva [29]. District III is the City of Berne, District IV is the Town of Geneva, District V is north of SR 218 (not counting Berne), and District VI is at large [29]. The members are President Arlene Amstutz (II, term ends 2028), Vice President Adam Lehman (III, 2026), Secretary Landon Patterson (I, 2026), Rhonda Briggs (IV, 2028), Brian Caffee (V, 2028), Kyle Litwiller (VI, 2028) and Mitch Sprunger (III, 2026) [29]. At its first meeting of 2026, the board passed a motion to keep things the same for 2026 [30].
  • District 1 (one seat): this is a rematch [31]. In 2022 Landon Patterson defeated Benjamin M. Rediger 1,181 votes to 1,009 [31]. Patterson's term ends in 2026 [29]. On the 2026 state list, Rediger is labeled Republican and Patterson Independent [6].
  • District 3 (one seat): the state's Who's on My Ballot lookup lists one seat to be elected [32]. The state list names Adam S Lehman (Republican) and Mitch Sprunger (Nonpartisan) as the District 3 candidates [6], so the two sitting members are running against each other for that seat [29]. District III has two board members, Lehman and Sprunger, and the district lists both terms as ending in 2026 [29]. In 2022 the District 3 race was 'Vote For 2,' and Lehman (1,791 votes) and Mitchel W. Sprunger (1,338) were the only candidates [31]. No source found explains why only one District 3 seat is on the 2026 ballot.
  • How candidates qualified: school board candidates filed petitions with the county clerk by noon on June 18, 2026 [33].
  • Budget and property taxes (2025–2026): the board approved its 2026 budget in October 2025 [34]. For 2027, the district's budget notice lists a total of $19,635,361: $11,820,875 for Education, $4,257,211 for Operations, $2,357,275 for Debt Service and $1,200,000 for the Rainy Day fund [35]. It also lists a property tax cap credit estimate of $539,000 and a maximum operating levy estimate of $3,739,580 [35]. The hearing was set for Aug. 18, 2026 and adoption for Oct. 13, 2026 [35]. The board held its 2027 budget workshop in July 2026 [36]. This guide did not find district statements on how SEA 1 affects South Adams.
  • Facilities and bonds (2025–2026): in October 2025 the board approved phase 2 of its facility improvement project [34]. In early 2026 the board discussed a sanitary project, auditorium lighting and upgrades, and authorizing and refinancing bonds [37, 28, 38]. The March 10, 2026 agenda included a review of bids for phase 2 of the sanitary project [38]. On April 14, 2026 it held a hearing on a '2026 Unified Project' covering renovations and improvements across the district, site work, and buying equipment, buses and technology [39, 40]. That meeting's agenda included a project resolution and a declaration of intent to reimburse expenditures [39, 40]. The board approved bids for summer projects in June 2026 and got construction updates in July [41, 42]. In August 2026 the district gave notice of a plan to issue about $7,780,000 in bonds to refinance its Series 2016 building corporation bonds [43, 44].
  • Teachers (2025–2026): the board held a public hearing on teacher pay and bargaining on Sept. 9, 2025, and a hearing on a tentative teacher contract on Nov. 4, 2025 [45, 46]. The district has posted a tentative 2026–27 master contract [24].
  • Policies and scheduling (2026): the March and April 2026 agendas included retiring all of the district's NEOLA policies and approving the Indiana School Boards Association's required policies [38, 40]. A February 2026 Berne Witness report said the board was divided over synchronous e-learning while discussing the 2026–27 calendar [47, 28]. In June 2026 administrators told the board about an attendance policy updated to match state standards [48]. In April 2026 a resident used the guest comment time to object to a Turning Point USA club [49].
  • School safety (2026): the board discussed a safety ordinance in January 2026 [37]. In May 2026 the school resource officer brought a traffic-enforcement ordinance for South Adams Schools to the Berne Board of Public Works and Safety [50]. In September 2026 the director of operations reported to the board on a mock disaster drill [51].
  • Forums: this guide found no candidate forums, questionnaires or news profiles of the 2026 South Adams candidates.

District 1

2 candidates

Landon Patterson

Independent

Incumbent and board secretary, running for reelection in District 1, listed as Independent [29, 6].

Patterson's background

  • Board secretary [29]. His District I term ends in 2026 [29]. He won the seat in 2022, defeating Rediger 1,181 votes to 1,009 [31].

Patterson on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member and board secretary [29].

How Patterson got on the ballot

  • Listed as Independent on the state candidate list [6]. School board candidates qualified by petition filed with the county clerk by June 18, 2026 [33].

What we could not find about Patterson

  • No campaign statements, website, questionnaire responses, endorsements or finance reports found.
  • Occupation not found.
  • His votes and stated views on board issues (such as the February 2026 e-learning debate) were not found. Board minutes are not posted on the district website, and full articles in The Berne Witness could not be reviewed for this profile.

Sources for Patterson

Benjamin Rediger

Republican

Challenger for the District 1 seat, listed as Republican [6]. He lost the 2022 race for this seat to Landon Patterson [31].

Rediger's background

  • Ran for the District 1 seat in 2022 (as Benjamin M Rediger) and received 1,009 votes (46%) to Patterson's 1,181 [31]. Ran for the at-large seat in 2024 and received 1,317 votes (41%), losing to Kyle Litwiller [52].

How Rediger got on the ballot

  • Listed as Republican on the state candidate list [6]. School board candidates qualified by petition filed with the county clerk by June 18, 2026 [33].

What we could not find about Rediger

  • No news coverage, campaign statements, website, questionnaire responses, endorsements or finance reports found.
  • Occupation and ties to the schools not found.

Sources for Rediger

District 3

2 candidates

Adam S Lehman

Republican

Incumbent and board vice president, running for reelection in District 3, listed as Republican; faces fellow board member Mitch Sprunger for the district's one seat on the ballot [29, 6, 32].

Lehman's background

  • Board vice president [29]. His District III (City of Berne) term ends in 2026 [29]. He won in 2022 with 1,791 votes in a two-seat race with two candidates [31].

Lehman on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member and vice president [29].

How Lehman got on the ballot

  • Listed as Republican on the state candidate list [6]. School board candidates qualified by petition filed with the county clerk by June 18, 2026 [33].

What we could not find about Lehman

  • No campaign statements, website, questionnaire responses, endorsements or finance reports found.
  • Occupation not found.
  • Not to be confused with South Adams assistant principal Jeff Lehman or State Rep. Matt Lehman, who appear in the same local coverage.
  • His votes and stated views on board issues were not found. Board minutes are not posted on the district website.

Sources for Lehman

Mitch Sprunger

Nonpartisan

Incumbent board member running for reelection in District 3, with no party (Nonpartisan); faces fellow board member Adam S Lehman for the district's one seat on the ballot [29, 6, 32].

Sprunger's background

  • His District III (Berne) term ends in 2026 [29]. He won in 2022 (as Mitchel W Sprunger) with 1,338 votes in a two-seat race with two candidates [31].

Sprunger on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member [29].

How Sprunger got on the ballot

  • Listed as Nonpartisan on the state candidate list [6]. School board candidates qualified by petition filed with the county clerk by June 18, 2026 [33].

What we could not find about Sprunger

  • No campaign statements, website, questionnaire responses, endorsements or finance reports found.
  • Occupation not found.
  • Not to be confused with other Sprungers in Berne-area government, such as the Berne mayor and a county council member.
  • His votes and stated views on board issues were not found. Board minutes are not posted on the district website.

Sources for Sprunger

Key points

  • The district: South Adams Schools has its office at 1075 Starfire Way in Berne, Adams County, and runs an elementary, a middle and a high school. (South Adams Schools)
  • The board: there are seven members, and each seat has a defined area. District I is west of County Road 000 and south of State Highway 218, not counting Berne and Geneva. (South Adams Schools)
  • District 1 (one seat): this is a rematch. In 2022 Landon Patterson defeated Benjamin M. Rediger 1,181 votes to 1,009. Patterson's term ends in 2026. On the 2026 state list, Rediger is labeled Republican and Patterson Independent. (Adams County, Indiana)

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. District home page (South Adams Schools)
  25. South Adams High School (Wikipedia)
  26. Penrod retiring from South Adams after 2025-2026 school year, Meyer selected as replacement (The Berne Witness)
  27. Notice of Public Hearing: Superintendent's Compensation Package (South Adams Schools)
  28. Public hearing and board meeting agenda, Feb. 10, 2026 (South Adams Schools)
  29. School Board Members (South Adams Schools)
  30. South Adams School Board maintains status quo for 2026 (The Berne Witness)
  31. 2022 General Election Summary Report (final) (Adams County, Indiana)
  32. Who's on My Ballot (2026 General Election precinct lookup) (Indiana Election Division)
  33. School board filing deadline June 18 (The Berne Witness)
  34. South Adams School Board approves phase 2 facilities project, adopts 2026 budget (The Berne Witness)
  35. 2027 Budget Notice (Notice to Taxpayers) (South Adams Schools)
  36. SA School Board holds 2027 budget workshop (The Berne Witness)
  37. Regular board meeting agenda, Jan. 13, 2026 (South Adams Schools)
  38. Work session and board meeting agenda, March 10, 2026 (South Adams Schools)
  39. Notice of Hearing: 2026 Unified Project (South Adams Schools)
  40. Public hearing and board meeting agenda, April 14, 2026 (South Adams Schools)
  41. Three projects at South Adams receive bid approval (The Berne Witness)
  42. South Adams on track to finish renovations (The Berne Witness)
  43. Public Notice: South Adams School Building Corporation (South Adams Schools)
  44. Notice of Determination (South Adams Schools)
  45. Public hearings and regular board meeting agenda, Sept. 9, 2025 (South Adams Schools)
  46. Public hearing and special board meeting agenda, Nov. 4, 2025 (South Adams Schools)
  47. Synchronous learning divides South Adams School Board (The Berne Witness)
  48. South Adams absence policy updated to align with state standards (The Berne Witness)
  49. South Adams School Board hears plea against Turning Point USA club (The Berne Witness)
  50. Ordinance presented to enforce traffic at South Adams Schools (The Berne Witness)
  51. Mock drill inspires district leadership (The Berne Witness)
  52. 2024 General Election Summary Report (Adams County, Indiana)
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.