There seems to be an unofficial pairing in the race for Federal Way School Board.

Throughout Federal Way, campaign signs for candidates Bill Pirkle and Steve Skipper appear together, leading to the question of whether the two are running as a ticket.

However, they say nothing is official.

“He rides a motorcycle, so he can’t carry them around,” Pirkle said. “So I asked if he wanted to go around with me, so every time we find a good place I put one up and he puts one up. I do want him to get elected, so I’ll help him anyway I can. We might later join our campaigns.”

Pirkle said he would need Skipper’s help on the school board to see some change, including using drug-sniffing dogs in schools and requiring weekly test sign-offs by parents.

Skipper said he also wants change.

“I’m upset,” he said. “I don’t like what’s happening in general in public schools. If you like schools as they are right now, don’t vote for me. I want to make some changes. There needs to be some dramatic changes…I am going to probably create some turmoil.”

Skipper also agrees that to get his changes through, he will likely need more votes on the board.

The incumbents, Ed Barney and Angela Griffin, have noticed the pairing up — but don’t plan on making the race an “us vs. them.”

“Their signs look similar and they are located next to each other,” said Barney, who is competing with Pirkle in the November election. “But I think the voting public has enough upstairs to pick the individual. I’ve seen it happen in campaigns before, but you just look at the individual, you don’t look at it as you vote for one you have to vote for both.”

Griffin, who faces Skipper in November, said she also feels that Pirkle and Skipper are a pair.

Although Griffin is hoping to retain her seat, this is her first election campaign. She was appointed to the school board in June 2008.

However, both Griffin and Barney said they would prefer the school board lineup to stay the same.

“We have a really good group,” Griffin said. “The five of us are a good mix, a good balance. It’s not the battle it’s been in the past. I think that’s going to be critical to maintain that. I personally have some concerns if the school board doesn’t stay the way it is.”

Barney agreed, saying that he and the current board members bring stability.

So while there are no official pairings, the race is turning into a race of stability vs. conflict and change.