Twelve Candidates Are Running for Five EPSB Seats

The East Penn School Board has five seats up for election this year and 12 candidates have filed petitions to run, according to the Lehigh County Election Board.

Board President Charles Ballard is running for re-election, and so are members Samuel Rhodes and Julian Stolz. Members Elaine Gannon and Terry Richwine are not seeking re-election.

Ten of the 12 candidates cross-filed as both Democrats and Republicans. That means they will appear on both ballots in the primary, May 17. The top five from each side will head to the general election.

If candidates make it to the top five on both ballots, then they will appear on both ballots in the election, Nov. 8.

School Board members are allowed to cross-file; in fact, a candidate for school board does not even have to be a registered voter.

This year, the school board has a tough budget season, and just today, March 8, Gov. Tom Corbett proposed an 8.8 percent reduction in public school spending by the state. Corbett's budget counts on administrators and teachers to accept a pay freeze and calls for axing pay bumps when teachers get masters degrees.

These proposals will resonate for years to come, and, no doubt, will become campaign issues.

Patch will contact each candidate and bring you more information as the campaigns continue. Here are your candidates: