Local school election results

Votes were tallied Tuesday night for two recent school elections in Carter County.

Unofficial results for the School District No. 15 and High School District No. 3 poll election show that Lisa Borchgrevink and Stefan J. Livingston have both been elected to three-year terms on the board of trustees. Both were already serving on the board and defeated Sarina O'Connor and Samantha Wright in Tuesday's election. Borchgrevink was previously elected to a one-year term in May, 2021 and Livingston was appointed to the board in July, 2021.

Borchgrevink received the most votes with 129, Livingston received 105, Wright had 94 and O'Connor had 82.

Micheal Ashbrook, who was appointed in June of 2021 and ran unopposed in Tuesday's election to fill a one-year term, received 197 votes.

In total, 230 ballots were cast from 610 active voters, a meager 38 percent turnout. Last year's school election, which was held by mail, had a 63 percent turnout. Of the 230 ballots cast on Tuesday, 94 individuals showed up to the polls to vote while 136 voted absentee.

The levy proposition on the ballot for Ekalaka Elementary District #15 authorizing the school to impose an increase in local taxes to support the general fund in the amount of $5,465.88 (approximately 0.18 mills) for the purpose of properly maintaining and operating programs passed with 149 votes for and 80 votes against. The levy will increase the taxes on a home with a market value of $100,000 by approximately $0.24 and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $0.48.

An additional vacancy on the unified School District No. 15 and High School District No. 3 board will be filled by appointment at the board's next regular meeting slated for Monday, May 9. The vacancy occurred too late to be put on Tuesdays ballot so a trustee will be appointed until the next school election when the remainder of the term will be on the ballot.

In a mail ballot election for Elementary District No. 1, Hawks Home, voters decided whether or not to vote for a general fund levy proposition in the amount of $40,000. Out of ninety registered voters in the district, 55 returned ballots, a 61 percent turnout. The proposition passed with 39 votes for and 16 against.