School trustee Mike Ellis was elected to a school board term last November despite receiving only 28 percent of the vote in a hotly contested District 1 race involving six candidates.

Since 1992, the top vote-getter in each school board race has been declared the winner.

That would no longer occur in races with more than two candidates under a bill introduced April 10 by state Rep. Dennis Moss.

The bill would require a runoff election when one candidate in a school board race does not receive a majority of the votes. The top two candidates would be in a runoff election held two weeks after the regular election.

"I have gotten a lot of requests to clarify the school board election laws. The runoff election is one of a couple of minor changes we hope to make for the 2008 election," Moss said. "If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, people will be able to narrow the field and vote on the top two candidates in a school board election. I believe this helps make the election process better."

The school board elections would be moved from November to August, allowing the nonpartisan city and school board elections to be held at the same time.

The school board would continue to be made up of nine members representing single districts. The $200 filing fee would remain unchanged.

Cherokee County Legislative Delegation members Lanny Littlejohn and Olin Phillips have already signed on as co-sponsors of the local bill. A second reading will be held by the local House members Thursday followed by a third reading Friday.

If approved, the bill would head to the state Senate for final approval by Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler. Any changes to the school board election process would still require the approval of the U.S. Justice Department.