Mercer Island School District board members and staff held an informational session for prospective school board candidates that outlined eligibility requirements, campaign disclosure rules, election timing and the work expected of a director.

The session set out the basics prospective candidates must know: candidates must be Washington state residents and registered voters; directors are elected at-large (not by zone); spouses and dependents may not be hired by the district after a candidate is elected; and candidates must file financial-disclosure forms with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) within two weeks of declaring a campaign or beginning to accept campaign donations. Board members said public declarations on social media can constitute an official declaration of candidacy for filing purposes. The district serves roughly 4,000 students, a presenter noted, and the role carries substantial responsibilities.

Board members framed their duties under the district’s policy-governance model, which they said requires the board to set vision and policy while delegating day-to-day implementation to the superintendent. The board has five directors and two student representatives; directors hire and monitor a single employee, the superintendent, and do not participate in routine personnel hiring decisions, presenters said. Candidates were told to expect a variable monthly time commitment generally described as roughly 20 hours per month on average and higher for officers and legislative representatives. The board also described a predictable annual calendar of monitoring and budget tasks that structures reporting and the board’s oversight work.

Election timeline details given at the session: filing week runs from May 5 (9 a.m.) through May 9 (4:30 p.m.), the primary is in August if more than two candidates file for a seat, and the general election is Nov. 4 with newly elected directors typically taking office at the first December meeting following certification. Presenters emphasized that some campaign activities — notably accepting donations — can trigger earlier PDC filing obligations.

Presenters advised candidates that single-issue campaigning is rarely effective at the board level; board work focuses on policy and system-level priorities rather than managing school- or classroom-level programs. They also reviewed the student-representative role (advisory vote in most matters, not present for executive sessions) and encouraged prospective directors to separate parent concerns from their role as an elected official when communicating about district matters.

The session included practical notes about candidate duties and participation expectations: three annual school site visits, possible travel to statewide conferences (for example the Washington State School Directors Association conference the weekend before Thanksgiving and a legislative conference in January/February), and committee assignments that are scheduled with members’ time constraints in mind.

A question-and-answer period closed the session, and board members encouraged prospective candidates to consult the PDC for filing details and to contact district staff with procedural questions.