ORION BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTION 2027

Orion Community Unit School District #223 will have five (5) School Board seats to be filled at the April 6, 2027, Consolidated Election. Candidates who are elected will fill four-year terms expiring in April 2031. School board elections are nonpartisan and board candidates do not indicate a political party affiliation.

To qualify for school board membership, an individual must be, as of the date of election:

*A United States citizen;
*A resident of the state of Illinois and of the school district for at least one-year preceding election;
*At least 18 years of age;
*A registered voter; and
*Not a school trustee.

Candidates for the office of School Board can begin to circulate nominating petitions for signatures beginning August 25, 2026. The period for filing nominating papers runs from November 16 through November 23, 2026, at the Henry County Clerk's Office in Cambridge, Illinois.

Membership of the board of education is restricted to a maximum of three members from any congressional township. The five seats with terms expiring in April 2027 are from the townships of Colona (2) (Sonia Berg and Colton Drish), Rural (2) (Julie Abbott and Kim Nightingale), and Western (1) (Jon Stockton). On the basis of the existing board membership, members may be elected in the following numbers from each congressional township:

*Not more than 3 may be elected from Lynn Township.
*No members may be elected from Western Township.
*Not more than 3 may be elected from Andover Township.
*Not more than 3 may be elected from Osco Township.
*Not more than 1 may be elected from Colona Township.
*Not more than 3 may be elected from Edford Township.
*Not more than 1 may be elected from Rural Township.
*Not more than 3 may be elected from Coal Valley I Township.

Additional information and petitions may be obtained at the Henry County Clerk's Office in Cambridge, Illinois (or their website: www.henrycty.com) OR the State Board of Elections' website: http://www.elections.il.gov/. Additional information may be obtained at the Illinois Association of School Boards' website: www.iasb.com.