The Wake County Republican Party is speaking out again on the school board races and the other municipal elections next week.

In the press release, GOP Chairman Claude Pope Jr. says he's disputing Sunday's N&O column by Rob Christensen that off-year races are designed to be dull. The press release comes right after Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Jack Nichols accused school board critics of being led by the GOP.

Here's the press release:

Pretty much everyone can agree that this year's school board elections offer critics one of their best chances in recent memory to make major gains.

But as noted in today's article, there's dispute over just where critics are coming from. Is it, as claimed by Wake Democratic Party Chairman Jack Nichols, a campaign being orchestrated by the Republicans to seize control of the school board?

"Other than the Wake Republican Party, are there other groups who have endorsed those candidates?" Nichols said. "No one."

Wake Democrats and Republicans are getting into the act for this fall's school board races.

Wake County Republican Party Chairman Claude Pope fired the first shot in April when he announced the GOP "will vigorously support School Board candidates who actively support the concept of neighborhood schools."

The Wake County Democratic Party is gearing up as well now to back candidates who would largely preserve current school board policies.

CORRECTION

Changed Prickett's voter status to unaffiliated from independent.