Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 8, 1994                   TAG: 9404080088
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROANOKE COUNTY'S SCHOOL VOTE OK'D

County Attorney Paul Mahoney said Thursday the federal agency found no discrimination or violation of voting rights in the plan.

The county had to obtain the Justice Department's approval because Virginia is under the jurisdiction of the Voting Rights Act. Localities in Virginia and several other Southern states may not change their voting plans without first getting clearance from the federal agency.

Roanoke County voters approved the change to an elected School Board last fall by a 2-to-1 margin. But the county was required to get the approval of the General Assembly for a charter change and of the Justice Department.

School Board members are chosen now by a selection commission appointed by the Circuit Court judges.

Candidates may get on the ballot by filing a petition signed by 125 registered voters, the same procedure required for independents to get on the ballot for local elected offices.

The deadline for filing petitions and becoming a candidate is June 14.

The five-member board is appointed by magisterial districts. Three seats will be on the ballot in November: the Hollins, Vinton and Windsor Hills districts.

Jerry Canada, the Hollins district member, is expected to run for his seat.

Barbara "Bootie" Chewning, who represents the Vinton district, has said she was leaning against running but has not made a decision.

Charlsie Pafford, the Windsor Hills representative, said Thursday she has not decided whether she will become a candidate.

Under the staggered plan for electing board members, the seats of Chairman Frank Thomas, who represents the Catawba district, and Maurice "Buck" Mitchell, from the Cave Spring district, won't be on the ballot until November 1995.

Thomas, who indicated last year he might not run, now says it's too early for him to make a decision.

Mitchell, who represents the Cave Spring district, said he won't run because he opposes elected school boards, particularly in the county.

The state law governing school board elections discourages a partisan approach. There is no provision for political parties to nominate school board candidates.

It is unlikely that the School Board election will be partisan because Democratic leaders have said the party probably won't get involved. Al Thomason, chairman of the county Republican Committee, said recently he believes that the GOP would be willing to take a nonpartisan approach if Democrats would do the same.