SALT LAKE CITY -- Seeking to generate more interest in state Board of Education elections and take away some of the governor's power, lawmakers are considering turning the state school board into a partisan one and making local school boards follow suit.

The current process for nominating state school board candidates involves a complicated process dictated by a gubernatorial nominating committee.

Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said his bill isn't aimed at making the 15-member state board or local boards political, but to get more people to run for office.

"There's a number of seats -- it's been difficult to get candidates," he said. "This was never aimed at the governor."

State board members serve four-year terms and set policy for the Office of Education.

Of the eight seats that were up for election last year, four were uncontested.

"It will get the major political parties involved. There will be an incentive for both parties to field candidates through their own elections. ... It's an incentive for participation, not partisanship driving it," Bramble said.

He said similar uncontested races occurred throughout the state in local school board elections, including in his home district of Provo.

Bramble said 27 of the Senate's 29 senators are co-sponsoring the bill.

The two senators not sponsoring the bill are Sen. Ross Romero, D-Salt Lake City, and Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan.

"To me, it seemed better to be ... where individuals were judged on their educational merits as opposed to their party affiliation," Romero said.

Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said lawmakers aren't disappointed with the performance of the current school board, just the process of how members got there.

"The process is not being inclusive enough," he said. "Many of those races were uncontested. People did not have an alternative."

Valentine said legislative leaders have spoken with Gov. Jon Huntsman about the bill and that he doesn't have a strong opinion about the bill.

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On the Net: Utah Legislature www.le.utah.gov

Utah State Office of Education http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.