Election Results: South Washington County School Board, Levy Questions

Update: 12:04 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 6

With all 14 precincts reporting, the results for the District 833 School Board election are in.

Katie Schwartz, Tracy Brunnette, Katy McElwee-Stevens and Sharon H. Van Leer received the most votes for the four-year terms for South Washington County School Board, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State.

Incumbent Laurie Johnson received 51.22 percent of the vote in the race for the two-year term.

Meanwhile, two of the district’s three ballot questions appear to have passed. The basics:

Question 1: Renewal of the district’s expiring referendum for 10 years, which generates approximately $4.6 million annually for the general fund. (65.35 percent in favor, 34.65 percent opposed.)

Question 2: Increases the operating referendum by $337per pupil or a total of approximately $6.9 million annually for the general fund, beginning in 2014-15 for the next 10 years. (53.95 percent in favor, 46.05 percent opposed.)

Question 3: Requests $8 million for the purchase and improvement of land to meet future building needs. (50.15 opposed, 49.85 in favor.)

Via the district, quotes from Superintendent Keith Jacobus:

• “Thank you to the voters of South Washington County Schools for your continued support of our district and students by voting to pass our first two ballot questions. The passage of these referendum questions helps assure that we can continue to provide our students with a high quality education.”
• On Question 3: “As a result of this decision, a task force is underway and will study our building capacity needs throughout the district and determine next steps. Our need for additional space in the future will remain, as our enrollment is projected to increase.”
• “I would also like to extend my congratulations to the individuals elected to our School Board. I look forward to working together toward our district’s mission of igniting a passion for lifelong learning.”
• “The attention to our district and desire to serve their community through service on the School Board was appreciated."
  

It was a tight race for the four-year seats on the District 833 School Board.

Schwartz received 3,239 votes (11.46 percent).

Brunnette received 2,990 votes (10.58 percent).

McElwee-Stevens received 2,648 votes (9.37 percent).

Van Leer received 2,463 votes (8.72 percent).

Find the rest of the results on the Secretary of State’s website.

Check back on Patch Wednesday for more coverage.

The South Washington County School Board has five seats up for election in 2013.

Four members will be elected to four-year terms; one will be elected to fill the vacancy of the two-year term expiring Jan. 4, 2016. There are 14 people vying for the four-year terms and three candidates for the two-year term.

Four-year term

Tracy Brunnette, Cottage Grove (i)

David G. Kemper, Woodbury (i)

Katy McElwee-Stevens, Newport (i)

Frederick E. Hess, Woodbury

Katie Schwartz, St. Paul Park

John P. Griffin II, Woodbury

Molly Lutz, Woodbury

Leilani Holmstadt, Cottage Grove

Sharon H. Van Leer, Woodbury

Raj Gandhi, Woodbury

Mike Thissen, Woodbury

Wayne A Johnson, Cottage Grove

Michael P. Edman, Cottage Grove

Safiyyah Cummings, Plymouth

Two-year term

Laurie Johnson, Woodbury (i)

Susan Richardson, Woodbury

David W. Firkus, Woodbury

Referendum Questions

There will be three ballot initiatives put to voters Tuesday.

Question 1: Renewal of the district’s expiring referendum for 10 years, which generates approximately $4.6 million annually for the general fund.

Question 2: Increases the operating referendum by $337per pupil or a total of approximately $6.9 million annually for the general fund, beginning in 2014-15 for the next 10 years.

Question 3: Requests $8 million for the purchase and improvement of land to meet future building needs.

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