2024 Elections: Lawrence Township School Board Voter’s Guide

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This voter guide is co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Indy Mirror,AND WFYI as part of a partnership to expand municipal school district coverage in Marion County and include 2024 school board elections.

Three of five school board seats are up for election in Lawrence Township schools, a district in the northeast corner of Marion County with about 16,500 students.

The commune is becoming more and more diverse. In the 2023–24 school year, approximately 45% of students were Black, 31% were Latino, and 73% were from low-income backgrounds.

As demographics change, Lawrence’s physical footprint is also evolving. The borough is close to completing its $400 million Blue Ribbon Facilities plan, which includes renovating schools and funding new facilities to support a growing student population. To increase student safety, the district also installed metal detectors at each of its middle and high schools this year.

These choices

Incumbents are running in two of three races in November, with a total of four candidates. Eric Young is challenging incumbent Crystal Puckett in the race for the city’s majority seat, while candidates for Lawrence’s Wards 1 and 3 seats are unopposed.

Board members will oversee the final stages of the district’s Blue Ribbon facilities plan in the coming years, including construction of a new administration building at Fort Benjamin Harrison, and will also help decide the future use of the former Craig Middle School, which currently houses administrative offices located at .

Who votes and how to vote

Voters living within the Lawrence Township school boundaries can vote in all three open seats – District 1, District 3 and overall. School board President Wendy Muston is not seeking re-election to her District 1 seat.

Voter registration is ongoing and ends on October 7. Marion County residents can register to vote online.

Early voting begins Oct. 8 at the City-County building at 200 E. Market St. Additional early voting sites, including one at the Lawrence Education and Community Center at 6501 Sunnyside Road, are open Oct. 26 and can be found online.

On Election Day, November 5, Marion County residents can vote at any of the county’s polling locations, which can be found online.

Get to know the candidates

At large

Two candidates are vying for Lawrence’s vacant seat this year.

Crystal Puckett

Puckett, 42, is running for re-election to the Lawrence Township School Board, where he currently serves as school secretary. She has lived in Lawrence for over 13 years, attended the district growing up and sends her children to Lawrence Township schools. Puckett owns a small business and is active in church and community groups such as Faith in Indiana. He hopes to continue to focus on promoting equitable student outcomes, school safety and the retention of highly qualified teachers. Her campaign website is here.

Eric the Young

Young, 48, is a 23-year Lawrence Township resident who sends his son to Lawrence Central High School. He grew up on the west side of Indianapolis and attended Wayne Township schools. He is the CFO of a local software development company and a member of several community organizations, including the Lawrence Township School Foundation. Young’s goals include supporting students’ academic achievement and teaching children conflict resolution through partnerships with community and faith-based organizations. His campaign website is here.

District 1

One candidate is running unopposed for the seat in District 1.

Shaila Mulholland

Mulholland, 44, is a graduate of Lawrence North High School, has a doctorate in education and is the director of learning and evaluation at the Indianapolis Foundation. He sends his two children to Lawrence Township schools and works with nonprofit organizations such as Arts for Lawrence and the Lawrence Township School Foundation. Shaila aims to prioritize social relationships and support for students’ academic, social, emotional and physical needs. The Mulholland campaign website can be found here.

District 3

One candidate is running unopposed for Lawrence’s District 3 seat.

Amy Norman

Norman, 46, is running for a second term on the Lawrence Township board, where he currently serves as vice president. Norman has lived in Lawrence for 18 years and sends three children to district schools. She is an athletic trainer at the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis and teaches Tae Kwon Do. Norman’s priorities include advocacy with legislators, accommodations for children with disabilities and fiscal responsibility. Her campaign website is here.

Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on X @carleylanich.