Opinion ID: 1611883
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Authority of the Board to Invalidate the Petitions.

Text: Plaintiffs' first claim on appeal is that the board of education lacked legal authority to invalidate the petitions that were submitted to the board's secretary. They urge that the procedures specified in the election contest statutes incorporated by reference in Iowa Code section 277.22 were the proper means to lodge such challenge. We need not determine whether this contention is correct. Plaintiffs' action is not brought to validate the petitions under state law, so as to require a determination of what that law is. Its purpose is to obtain an award of money damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiffs in actions under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 must base their claims on a violation of federal law. Leydens v. City of Des Moines, 484 N.W.2d 594, 596 (Iowa 1992); Bailey v. Lancaster, 470 N.W.2d 351, 356 (Iowa 1991). Whether the board of education or some other agency is empowered to pass on the legal sufficiency of petitions submitted under section 257.18(2) is an issue of state law. Consequently, even if the board misinterpreted that law by assuming authority that it did not have, that conduct would not give rise to a § 1983 claim.