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Monday, April 30, 2007
School-Related Elections: High Cost, Low Concern
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I just learned from reading D.L. Bennett’s article this morning, “‘Off-cycle’ elections cost a pretty penny,” that the multi-system SPLOST referendum last month cost nearly $1 million to administer — in Fulton County alone.
In Fulton and four other metro Atlanta school systems, fewer than 30,000 voters — a paltry 3 percent of those registered — approved the 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for school construction.
According to today’s story, some Fulton poll workers saw nary a voter in the 12 hours precincts were open on March 20.
Of course, low turnout for school board elections or education SPLOSTs is common — not just in Georgia, but elsewhere. As long as I’ve been covering education-related elections, I don’t recall ever seeing the percentage of voter turnout reach double digits.
One Fulton taxpayer in the article seemed angry that he wasn’t aware of the election, and he seemed to lay blame on officials for not promoting the referendum better. But consider how much publicity last fall’s gubernatorial election received. Even with that high profile, fewer than half of the state’s registered voters saw fit to cast ballots.
So when there’s low turnout in a school-related election, is it really the administrators’ fault for not doing more to publicize the issue or is it voters’ fault for not caring enough to make sure they’re informed?
UPDATE: In a new editorial, Mike King of the AJC says school systems’ practice of holding off-cycle elections — what he refers to as “stealth referendums” — should be banned.
