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Knox Co. School board member says she is not running again due to partisan election rule

Virginia Babb said she decided not to seek re-election because the state decided to make school board elections partisan.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Last year, Tennessee lawmakers decided to make school board elections partisan after they caught national attention due to controversies over mask requirements and COVID-19.

Now, a Knox County School Board member said she will not seek reelection because of the new rule. Virginia Babb represents the 4th district and said she originally intended to run again, before the new law. She said running in a partisan election, with democrats and republicans competing for votes, simply did match up to why she chose to serve on the board.

"I just am not a political person," Babb said. "I'm on the school board because I care about kids, I care about education and I care about our school system being better."

Anyone interested in running for the school board has until February 17 to file with the Knox County Election Commission. They need to live in the 4th District to qualify.

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