I can't stand that they have the backing, it totally clouds the issues/candidates for voters.

Some of the people running in APS, FCPS, and LCPS have a lot of national money donated to their campaign. Not from individuals, but PACS.

I think it's good if people have backing from national leaders of an organization. It shows me they look beyond local to the more global perspective. I don't mind leaders from unions running for nonpartisan races. In fact I appreciate them being transparent that they are pro-union.

There is a candidate who has a national union that she works for hosting an event for her. No matter how great her positions are it makes me wonder if she has her sights on a national office or if there is some influence. I am told we don't have true unions in VA, but then you have a national leader stumping for a local candidate with no real ties to that person. Last time our school board had several candidates with ties to Teach for America receive large donations.

I am fine with a local chapter of a national group. I am not okay with a national organization, like a teacher's union or political party. Local Democrats/Republicans, local union, local group is fine. National group or national person, it seems a bit much on a down ballot race. I think we are getting a lot of national attention due to the governor's race.

I would prefer if they didn’t. A local chapter of a national group is fine.

I never looked before - I only looked at policy positions - but I plan to look now. I find a lot of out-of-state donations, from PACs or individuals, concerning. Our worst school board members in FCPS got a lot of out-of-state donations.

Last election the charter school PACs had a lot of influence in some of the local school board elections in Northern VA. What do you think about some of the national organizations lobbying for school board candidates? Does it make a difference to you as a voter if your school board candidate is mainly funded by national political organizations?