The election will feature two board seats on the ballot: at-large Place 6 and single-member District 3. The two seats are currently filled by Eric Eager and Debbie Renteria, respectively. Both candidates were initially elected in 2020.
As of Feb. 15, Renteria and challenger Bonnie Abadie have filed to run for the District 3 seat. Eager is currently running unopposed for the Place 6 seat.
Board members serve three-year staggered terms and are not subject to term limits. Five of the seven seats on the board are chosen by registered voters of specific districts, while the remaining two seats are elected at-large by all voters. This voting system is the result of a lawsuit settled in early 2019 that accused the board of Voting Rights Act violations.
According to RISD officials, residents can fill out an online form to obtain an emailed application packet. An election packet can also be picked up at the RISD Administration Building at 400 S. Greenville Ave. The filing period began Jan. 18. Early voting in the general election begins on April 24 and continues through May 2 ahead of the May 6 election date.
