Politics & Government

Rep. Garofalo Pitches State Ban on Odd-Year School Referendum Votes

Pat Garofalo (R-District 36A) of Farmington, who represents part of Northfield, says schools should hold referendum votes in even-years when voter turnout is higher.

State Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-District 36A) of Farmington, unveiled proposed legislation on Nov. 9 that would require school districts to hold their levy referendums in General Election years, and not odd-years such as this election season.

“This bill is about transparency, open democracy and greater public participation in school levies,” Garofalo said in a release. “Districts know the facts—their levies are more likely to be approved in odd-year elections because of lower turnout and lower voter engagement."

last week had two measures on the odd-year election ballot. with nearly 6,000 people voting.

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With 59.9 percent of the vote, voters rescinded the currently operating levy and replaced it with a 10-year levy that raised the per-pupil operating levy by $334 to a total of $1,604, the highest amount allowed by law. With 62.8 percent of the vote, voters renewed its $750,000-per-year capital projects levy for another 10 years.

Last year, with record voter turnout statewide for the governor's race and several legislative seats in question, nearly 21,000 votes were cast in the Northfield School Board race, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State. Each voter was allowed to vote for three of the five candidates (or write in a name). If each person cast three votes, that means approximately 7,000 people voted, or about 16 percent more than this year.

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Garofalo, who is chair of the Education Finance Committee, pointed to a Minnesota Department of Education study that said referendums held during odd-year elections pass at a rate of more than 70 percent. Conversely, during even-year elections when statewide elections are held for state or federal offices, that percentage falls to 52 percent of referendums that pass.

“This bill would prevent situations where districts put a referendum on the ballot intentionally in an odd-year election to exploit lower turnout,” Garofalo said.

Ahead of last week's vote, Northfield Superintendent Chris Richardson would have come back next November if those measures were turned down by voters. Both were set to expire following the 2013-14 school year.

Garofalo's release said that because state education funding is set during legislative sessions in odd-numbered years, holding referendums in even-year elections would also give schools and taxpayers time to fully assess their district’s financial situation.

“The governor and the Legislature this year agreed to a $650 million increase in education funding, and now just a few months later many districts are back asking for more. Some of them were planning for levies even before the Legislature adjourned, regardless of what the state would provide. Holding elections in General Election years is the most open, transparent way for schools to make their case to voters,” Garofalo said.


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