Welcome to the Monday, March 25, Brew.
By: Briana Ryan
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Three school board recalls have centered on district book policies since 2006
- Eight candidates are running in the Republican primary for Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District
- Upcoming voter participation deadlines
Three school board recalls have centered on district book policies since 2006
In a review of nearly 500 school board recall efforts since 2006, Ballotpedia found that three have centered on disagreements over district book or school library policies. All three recall efforts occurred in the last two years.
For context, between 2009 and 2023, there was an average of 35 recall efforts against an average of 81 school board members each year. About 19% of the school board members facing recall efforts faced recall elections. About 10% were ultimately removed from office.
Disagreements over district book policies, including policies about which books are allowed in libraries and classrooms, have roiled school board elections and board meetings in recent years. Last week, Ballotpedia’s weekly Hall Pass newsletter covered the three book-related recall campaigns. Here’s what happened in each.
Terri Cunningham-Swanson recall, Nebraska
On Jan. 9, 2024, voters in Plattsmouth Community Schools district in Nebraska recalled Terri Cunningham-Swanson 62.2% to 37.8%. Recall supporters filed the recall paperwork after Cunningham-Swanson, a board member since 2022, called for a formal review of several books in the school library. The board established a committee to review 52 books. On Nov. 14, the committee recommended the removal of one of the 52 books from the library. The board voted 8-1 in favor of the recommendation.
Karl Frisch recall, Virginia
In January 2024, Stacy Langton, a parent in the Fairfax County Public Schools district in Virginia, filed a petition to recall Karl Frisch, a board member who has represented Providence District since 2019. In November 2023, Frisch won re-election and was sworn into office in December on a stack of five books that have been banned or challenged in other districts.
Langton said, “I naively thought that our board might do something to enforce the law and remove the books. Therefore, since Karl wants to continue to distribute pornography to minors, he has demonstrated he is unfit to hold office on the school board.”
Frisch has not responded to the recall petition.
Misty Cox recall, Arizona
On Jan. 9, 2024, Marianna Habern filed a recall petition against Misty Cox, the vice president of the Mingus Union High School District #4 governing board in Arizona. On Oct. 30, Cox emailed Superintendent Mike Westcott asking him to remove six books from the school library.
Habern’s recall petition stated:
“Misty is putting the district at risk of expensive lawsuits by trying to ban books based on content regarding sexual orientation and is trying to limit the information accessible to students based on her personal political agenda.”
Cox has not responded to the petition.
Voters can recall school board members in 23 of the 39 states that allow voters to recall elected officials. Click here to read Ballotpedia’s 2023 year-end recall analysis, and subscribe to Hall Pass for updates on school board recalls.
Eight candidates are running in the Republican primary for Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District
Throughout the year, we’ll bring you coverage of the most compelling elections—the battlegrounds we expect to have a meaningful effect on the balance of power in governments or to be particularly competitive.
Today, we’re looking at the May 7 Republican primary for Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District. Eight candidates are running in the primary, and four lead in fundraising and endorsements: Wendy Davis (R), Tim Smith (R), Marlin Stutzman (R), and Andy Zay (R).
As of March 5, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rated the general election Solid Republican. Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated the general election Safe Republican. These ratings indicate it is likely that the candidate who wins the Republican primary will also win the general election.
This is the first open race in the district since 2016. Incumbent Jim Banks (R) is running for the U.S. Senate.
Davis served as a judge for the Allen County Circuit Court and later the Allen County Superior Court. Davis said her experience on the bench inspired her to run for Congress: “As a Judge, it was my duty to remain impartial and unbiased, so I could only react to the problems I saw. I’m ready to be proactive and go to Washington to actually solve the problems facing Hoosiers in the 3rd District, and America as a whole.” Value in Electing Women PAC and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) endorsed Davis.
Smith’s professional experience includes work at the malpractice insurance company MedPro Group and as the CEO of the nonprofit organization Lasting Change, Inc. Smith said he is “a businessman, not a career politician that will conform to the demands of Washington’s political elite.” Smith has raised $1,060,007, the most of all candidates running. His total includes a $900,000 loan he made to his campaign.
Stutzman represented the 3rd District in Congress from 2010 to 2017 but ran for the U.S. Senate in 2016. In the Republican primary, then-Rep. Todd Young defeated Stutzman 67.1% to 32.9%. Stutzman said district voters “know my strong, conservative record, so they know that in me, they will have an America-first champion who is tough enough to fight for them in Washington.” The House Freedom Fund and the Congressional Freedom Caucus PAC endorsed Stutzman.
Zay is a member of the Indiana Senate. He said his legislative experience would help him successfully fight for the district in Congress: “The process of knowing how committees work, knowing how amendments work, moving legislation, moving good ideas forward that become policy that’s good for everyone is a critical component of my background that will help.” Former U.S. Rep. Terry Miller (R-Ind.) endorsed Zay.
Also running in the primary are Grant Bucher (R), Michael Felker (R), Jon Kenworthy (R), and Eric Whalen (R).
Upcoming voter participation deadlines
With the 2024 election season well underway, we are taking a look at the important deadlines voters need to know over the next two weeks to take part in their state’s primary election.
Thirteen states have important voter participation deadlines this month. These include voter registration deadlines, early voting opening and closing dates, deadlines to request absentee/mail-in ballots, and deadlines to return those ballots.
The map below shows the states with voter participation deadlines scheduled in the next two weeks. The bulleted list below includes every state with deadlines between March 26 and April 9.
- Alabama (primary runoff): April 2 (voter registration deadline), April 9 (deadline to request an absentee/mail-in ballot by mail or online), April 11 (deadline to request an absentee/mail-in ballot in-person).
- Arkansas (primary runoff): March 26 (deadline to request an absentee/mail-in ballot by mail or online), March 29 (deadline to request an absentee/mail-in ballot in-person), April 2 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- Alaska (Democratic presidential primary): April 6 (voter registration deadline), April 6 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- Connecticut (presidential primary): March 26 to March 30 (early voting period), April 2 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- Delaware (presidential primary): March 20 to March 30 (early voting period), April 2 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- Indiana: April 8 (voter registration deadline), April 9 to May 6 (early voting period).
- Mississippi (primary runoff): April 2 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- New York (presidential primary): March 23 to March 30 (early voting period), April 2 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- North Dakota (Democratic presidential primary): March 30 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- Pennsylvania: April 8 (voter registration deadline).
- Rhode Island (presidential primary): March 13 to April 1 (early voting period), April 2 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- Wisconsin (presidential primary): April 2 (in-person voter registration deadline), March 19 to March 31 (early voting period), April 2 (deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot).
- Wyoming (Democratic presidential primary): April 9 (voter registration deadline).
Looking ahead
April will also be a busy month for voter participation deadlines. We’ll bring you all the information you need to know to vote in these contests, so stay tuned!
