Mail-in ballots due May 4 for school elections
Registered voters living in school districts holding mail-ballot elections are reminded ballots are due Tuesday, May 4. Ballots may either be mailed or hand-delivered, but are due in a voter’s respective district by 8 p.m. on election day.
Voters are also reminded to sign the outer envelope before turning it in. It must be signed by the person the ballot was issued to.
In Kalispell Public Schools, 233 First Ave. E., voters will decide contested trustee races, levies and a question of land acquisition.
Registered voters living in Kalispell can vote on both elementary and high school district issues. Residents living in 13 surrounding partner school districts, whose students go on to attend Glacier or Flathead high schools, can vote on high school district issues only.
This election, the district has requested an elementary general fund levy and high school technology levy.
If Kalispell taxpayers approve a $557,158 elementary general fund levy, owners of homes with a market value of $200,000 can anticipate annual taxes to increase by $24.04. General fund levies cover a variety of costs involved in the day-to-day operation of schools and education of students, such as salaries, curriculum and textbooks, utilities, technology and maintenance.
If a $700,000 high school technology levy is approved, owners of homes with a market value of $200,000 can anticipate annual taxes to increase by $13.33. Unlike an operational levy, the technology levy has a 10-year duration. Money raised by a technology levy can be used for
On the question of land acquisition, the district is asking both elementary and high school district voters’ permission to move forward with purchasing property located in the Old School Station lots south of Kalispell to relocate its fleet of district-owned buses and mechanic shop, which are currently housed on city-owned property that the district has been asked to vacate. The district’s intent is to also relocate its transportation, maintenance, grounds, storage, shipping and receiving facilities. The purchase would be made using money the district has set aside in an interlocal fund.
Trustee elections will be held in the following school districts: Bigfork, 600 Commerce St.; Cayuse Prairie, 897 Lake Blaine Road, Kalispell; Columbia Falls, 501 Sixth Ave. W; Deer Park, 2105 Middle Road, Columbia Falls; Helena Flats, 1000 Helena Flats Road, Kalispell; Smith Valley, 2901 U.S. 2 W., Kalispell; Swan River, 1205 Swan Highway, Bigfork; West Valley, 2290 Farm to Market Road, Kalispell; and Whitefish, 600 E. Second St. in Whitefish.
Kila and Somers-Lakeside school districts will hold walk-in trustee elections on May 4.
In Kila, polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. in the school gym, 395 Kila Road.
For Somers-Lakeside, there are two polling locations. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day at Somers Middle School, 315 School Addition Road, and at Lakeside Elementary, 255 Adams St.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.