Detroiters to vote on two-year, four-year terms for DPSCD school board
Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. When voters open their absentee ballots or head to the polls on Election Day, they may notice something different when selecting candidates for Detroit’s school board. Instead of one race for the…
Detroit residents will soon vote on school board candidates running for two-year and four-year terms. Thirty-one candidates are competing for four seats with four-year terms, while three candidates are seeking one seat with a partial term that concludes in 2028. The partial term is for the former seat of Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, who resigned to become the city's ombudsman.
Bessie Harris, a retired special education teacher and principal, currently fills the seat, with only two years remaining of her original term. Angelique Peterson-Mayberry, a former school board member and Wayne County Commissioner, also resigned, and her term does not appear on the ballot. Pastor Steven Bland was appointed to replace her.
The race features the largest slate of candidates since 2016 when the district was established, with 34 total candidates running. Daniel Baxter, the Detroit Department of Elections chief of operations, explained that candidates chose between two-year or four-year terms. Only incumbents Bessie Harris and Pastor Steven Bland are running for reelection in this election, which could significantly impact the future of Michigan's largest school district.
Iris Taylor's death in July prompted the appointment of Jeremiah Steen to fill her seat, which will expire at the end of 2026. Sheila Cockrel, CEO of CitizenDetroit, expressed concerns that these two races could confuse voters, recommending the public learn about candidates in the context of their specific race. To assist voters, CitizenDetroit has produced a YouTube series featuring 25 of the candidates, and the organization will host a speed-dating-style event on October 1 where 16 candidates will participate.
Viewers can check their sample ballot on the Michigan Voter Information Center, and more information on this race and other issues is available on BridgeDetroit.com and Chalkbeat.org/Detroit.
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