In-person absentee voting is now available for registered voters who reside within the Decorah Community School District ahead of the local election on Tuesday, September, 10, 2024.

Ballots can be cast at the Winneshiek County Auditor’s Office, which is located on the second floor of the Winneshiek County Courthouse at 201 W. Main St., in Decorah. The auditor’s office is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A valid ID is required.

Registered voters may also request a mailed absentee ballot by completing a request form and returning it to the auditor’s office. The deadline to submit this request is August 26. Ballots must be received by the county auditor’s office before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on September 10 to be considered for counting.

The polls will be open on election day, September 10, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. A valid ID will be needed to cast a ballot. Polling locations can be found on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/pollingplace/search.aspx.

Voters will see two measures on the September 10 ballot. The first asks voters to consider renewing Decorah CSD’s Revenue Purpose Statement through 2051, allowing the district to continue using state revenue from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund.

The second measure asks voters to consider raising the district’s debt levy limit from $2.70 to $4.05 per $1,000 of taxable property value.

These measures are precursors to the general election on Tuesday, November 5, when voters will be asked to consider approving a $38 million general obligation bond for the construction of a new PK-2 facility that would replace John Cline Elementary School and West Side Early Education Center.

The estimated tax impact of an approved debt levy limit increase and a general obligation bond is $0.86 per $1,000 of taxable property value per year. For a home with a value of $250,000, the monthly tax impact would be approximately $7.96.

West Side opened in 1939 and John Cline followed in 1964. These schools present a variety of challenges that no longer make either facility conducive to 21st century learning, including inadequate HVAC systems, deteriorating roofs, playground drainage problems, and outdated structural, mechanical, and electrical systems. Both schools also lack the configuration needed for effective security measures, and they also have insufficient classroom and storage space.

For more information, please visit www.decorahcsdfuture.org.