A new bill filed by State Rep. Mike Clampitt in the North Carolina House seeks to transition Jackson County Board of Education elections to partisan contests, aiming to align election procedures with other county offices, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 294 on March 5 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Jackson Co Bd of Ed Election Partisan.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that elections for members of the Jackson County Board of Education in North Carolina will change from nonpartisan to partisan contests. Members are elected from five single-member residency districts for staggered four-year terms, and elections will occur in even-numbered years during the general election. Candidates seeking election will be nominated in the same manner as other county officers. The change to partisan elections will begin with terms expiring December 1, 2025, aligning with relevant state statutes. The bill also amends the effective date for certain provisions related to other educational boards and outlines the process for filling vacancies. The act applies to elections occurring upon its enactment.
Clampitt proposed another 13 bills during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Clampitt graduated from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in 1976 with an AA.
Clampitt, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 119th House district, replacing previous state representative Joe Sam Queen.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Clampitt | HB 294 | 03/05/2025 | Jackson Co Bd of Ed Election Partisan. |
| Mike Clampitt, Brenden H. Jones, Celeste C. Cairns, and Kyle Hall | HB 276 | 03/04/2025 | Align Benefits for Firefighters with Cancer. |
| Mike Clampitt and Mark Pless | HB 232 | 02/26/2025 | Funds/Short-Line Railroad Disaster Assistance. |
| Mike Clampitt | HB 215 | 02/25/2025 | Protect Charlotte Firefighters’ Ret. System. |
| Mike Clampitt | HB 216 | 02/25/2025 | CAM Accessibility & Sustainability Act. |
| Mike Clampitt | HB 183 | 02/24/2025 | Various Local Provisions II. |
| Mike Clampitt | HB 185 | 02/24/2025 | Transylvania Rural Development Authority. |
| Mike Clampitt, Diane Wheatley, Donna McDowell White, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 141 | 02/17/2025 | The Joe John Remembrance Act. |
| Mike Clampitt | HB 148 | 02/17/2025 | SchCalFlex/Jackson,Swain,Transyl/Open Cal. |
| Mike Clampitt, Brian Echevarria, Eric Ager, and Keith Kidwell | HB 108 | 02/12/2025 | The Sober Operator Act of 2025. |
| Mike Clampitt, Bill Ward, Jarrod Lowery, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 103 | 02/11/2025 | NC Am. Indian Hunting/Fishing Rights. |
| Mike Clampitt, Brian Echevarria, Mark Brody, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 64 | 02/05/2025 | Const. Amend. – Gubernatorial Clemency. |
| Mike Clampitt, Edward C. Goodwin, and John M. Blust | HB 57 | 02/04/2025 | Adopt State Veterans Museum. |
| Mike Clampitt | HB 29 | 01/30/2025 | Use Tribal ID for Alcohol & Tobacco Purchase. |
