School elections today

The Daily Inter Lake

Voters across the valley today will decide school budgets and boards of trustees.

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.

Election times vary, although all polling places will be open until 8 p.m.

Voters in the Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Bigfork school districts also will be asked to select two candidates for the Flathead Valley Community College board of trustees.

Three candidates are running: incumbents John Phelps and Tom Harding, both of Whitefish, and challenger Elna Darrow of Bigfork.

Following is a district-by-district summary of election information.

. Columbia Falls residents can vote on the elementary district's $69,607 general-fund tax

levy and the high school district's $142,000 levy from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Glacier Gateway Elementary and Canyon Elementary schools.

. Creston's trustee election takes place in the school gym from noon to 8 p.m.

. Evergreen residents may vote in Kalispell Public School's District Two trustee election from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Evergreen's administration building.

. Fair-Mont-Egan's trustee election takes place from noon to 8 p.m. in the school music room.

. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. at Helena Flats School, where residents will vote on a $60,000 general-fund tax levy and Kalispell Public Schools' District Two trustee.

. Kalispell's elementary district trustee election takes place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Expo Building at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

. Kila's trustee election is from noon to 8 p.m. in the school gym.

. Marion residents vote from noon until 8 p.m. in the Marion Fire Hall. Candidates for the Marion school board and Kalispell Public Schools' District One trustee position are on the ballot.

. Polls are open from noon to 8 p.m. at Olney-Bissell school, where residents will vote on a $16,467 general-fund tax levy and Kalispell Public Schools' District One trustee election.

. Pleasant Valley residents may vote for Kalispell Public Schools' next District One trustee at the school from noon to 8 p.m.

. Smith Valley residents vote on the district's $8,348 technology levy at the school from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Kalispell's District One trustee candidates also are on the ballot.

. Voters in the Somers-Lakeside district should check their voter registration cards to find out where to vote in the district's trustee election. People from precincts 29, 33 and 34 vote at Somers Middle School; those in precincts 13 and 24 vote at Lakeside Elementary School. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

. Swan River residents who want to vote in Flathead Valley Community College's board of trustees election may do so at Swan River School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

. West Glacier residents vote in the district's trustee election and on Columbia Falls' high school tax levy from noon to 8 p.m. at West Glacier Elementary School or at Halfway House in Essex.

. West Valley residents vote in Kalispell's District One trustee election at West Valley School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Whitefish district board room at Whitefish Middle School. A $64,919 elementary district general-fund tax levy, a $46,214 high school district general-fund levy and candidates for the board of trustees are on the ballot.