Tuesday is election day for schools
On Tuesday, voters in most school districts will elect new school board trustees and approve or deny schools' levy requests.
Five districts have levies on the ballot, totaling about $407,500. All but one are general fund levies, which, if approved, will increase districts' available general funding.
Elections have been canceled in several districts where trustee candidates ran unopposed and were elected by acclamation. Polls will not be open at Bigfork, Cayuse Prairie or Deer Park schools.
Following is a district-by-district summary of election information.
Bigfork
There is no school election in Bigfork. Doug Fraley and incumbents Dave Carlson and Paul Sandry were elected by acclamation to the school board.
Cayuse Prairie
There is no school election for Cayuse Prairie. Dan Diehl and Pam Skonord were elected by acclamation to the board of trustees.
Columbia Falls
The elementary district is requesting a $69,607 general-fund tax levy. If it passes, the levy will increase annual property taxes by $5.38 on a home with a taxable value of $100,000. Annual property taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value would increase by $10.77.
The high school district is running a $142,000 general-fund levy election. If voters approve it, it will raise annual property taxes on a home with a taxable value of $100,000 by $9.81. Annual taxes on homes with a taxable value of $200,000 would increase by $19.63.
Dean Chisholm, Greg Macijunas, Darrell Newby and Larry Wilson were elected by acclamation to the school board's four open, three-year positions.
Columbia Falls residents can vote from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Glacier Gateway Elementary and Canyon Elementary schools.
Creston
Jamie Lynn Eliason, Shannon Kimball and incumbent Peggy Hinkle are candidates for the school board's two open, three-year terms. There are no ballot issues. Vote in the school gym from noon to 8 p.m.
Deer Park
There is no school election in Deer Park. Cynthia Barnes and Gary Anderson were elected by acclamation to the board of trustees.
Evergreen
The district has no election of its own but is a polling site for Kalispell Public Schools' District Two trustee election, which covers Evergreen and Helena Flats. Vote from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the administration building.
Incumbents Jim Waggener, Jon Wilson Sr. and Paul Wigle were elected by acclamation to the board of trustees.
Fair-Mont-Egan
Dennis Burton, Mark Phillips and Jeff Wilson have filed for the school board's two open, three-year seats. There are no ballot issues.
Vote from noon to 8 p.m. in the school music room.
Helena Flats
The district is requesting a $60,000 general fund tax levy. If voters approve it, the levy will raise annual property taxes on a home with a $100,000 taxable value by $45. Annual taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value would increase by $90.
Jonathan Lowry and Shawn Boelman were elected by acclamation to the board of trustees.
Vote at the school from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Kalispell
The district has no ballot issues, but there are five school board seats up for grabs. Alice Ritzman, Bette Albright and incumbent Eve Dixon have filed for the board's two open elementary trustee positions. Kalispell residents vote for these candidates in the Expo Building at the Flathead County Fairgrounds from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Incumbent Keith Regier and Thomas Clark, a West Valley school board member whose term expires this year, are running for the three-year District One position, which includes the Marion, Olney-Bissell, Pleasant Valley, Smith Valley and West Valley districts.
Jack Fallon and John Osweiller are candidates for the three-year District Two position, which represents the Evergreen and Helena Flats districts.
No one has filed as a candidate for the two-year District Four position, which is available following Bill Sutton's resignation this spring. District Four represents the Kila and Somers-Lakeside districts.
Kila
Cynthia Frech-Kennedy, Angela Gustine-Giles and incumbents Royal Osterday and Ann Bourassa are the candidates for the school board's two open, three-year terms. There are no ballot issues.
Vote in the school gym from noon to 8 p.m.
Marion
Tresa DeLaughder and Sarah Robinson are candidates for the school board's open two-year term. Robinson is an incumbent whose term is up this year; Mark Bacialli is running for her three-year seat.
Vote for trustees and in Kalispell Public Schools' District One trustee election at the Marion Fire Hall from noon to 8 p.m.
Olney-Bissell
The district is running a $16,467 general fund levy election. If approved, the levy will raise annual property taxes on homes with a taxable value of $100,000 by $15.44. Annual taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value will increase by $30.88.
Tony Hagadone and Roberta Vergelye were elected by acclamation to the school board.
Vote at the school from noon to 8 p.m.
Pleasant Valley
The district has no election of its own but is a polling site for Kalispell Public Schools' District One trustee election. Bud Salyer was elected by acclamation to the Pleasant Valley school board.
Vote at the school from noon to 8 p.m.
Smith Valley
The district is requesting an $8,348 technology levy. If voters approve it, the levy will raise annual property taxes on homes with a taxable value of $100,000 by $12.56. Annual taxes on homes with a $200,000 taxable value would increase by $25.12.
William Burback and incumbent Christy Berry are the candidates for the school board's open three-year term.
Vote in the school gym from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Somers-Lakeside
Alice Blasdel and incumbent Cathy Nash are the candidates for the board of trustees' available three-year term. The district has no ballot issues.
Voters should check their voter registration cards to find out where to vote. Voters from precincts 29, 33 and 34 vote at Somers Middle School. People in precincts 13 and 24 vote at Lakeside Elementary School.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Swan River
The district has no election of its own but is a polling site for the Flathead Valley Community College board of trustees election. Vote at the school from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tamus Gannon and Michael Wynne were elected by acclamation to Swan River's school board.
West Glacier
Casey Heupel and write-in candidate Gerry Nolan are vying for the school board's open, two-year position. Incumbent Carla Martin is the candidate for the board's open, three-year seat.
Vote for trustees and on Columbia Falls' high school levy request at the school or at Halfway House in Essex from noon to 8 p.m.
West Valley
The district has no election of its own but is a polling site for Kalispell Public Schools' District One trustee election. Vote in the school library from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Rochelle Nicholson was elected by acclamation to the West Valley board of trustees.
Whitefish
The elementary district is running a $64,919 general fund levy election. If approved, the levy will raise annual property taxes on homes with a taxable value of $200,000 by $6.04.
The high school district is asking voters to approve a $46,214 general fund levy.
If it passes, it will raise annual property taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value by $4.17.
Stephanie Kenkel, Brian McDowell, Mary Vail and incumbents Dave Fern and Eric Hosek are the candidates for the school board's three open, three-year terms.
Vote in the district board room at Whitefish Middle School from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.