School board elections coincide
with general elections Nov. 7
By Lori Ehde
Six candidates have filed for three open seats on Luverne's School Board.
Incumbents Steve Tofteland and Don Bryan have refiled, and after serving on the board for 14 years Bob Kaczrowski will retire his seat when his term expires at the end of the year.
In addition, several newcomers have tossed their hats in the ring. They include Gold'n Plump plant manager Greg Aubert, Luverne Economic Development director Tony Chladek, Nobles-Rock Public Health nurse Colleen Deutsch and Luverne day-care provider Deanna Stanley.
All six names will appear on the general election ballot on Nov. 7 along with local, state and national candidates. The elected board members will serve four-year terms starting in January.
Luverne School District used to elect board members every spring for three-year terms on staggered terms, but new legislation requires districts to schedule elections for four-year terms every other year in the fall. It also changed the start of the term to January, rather than in July when the new school year starts.
The idea was to save administrative time and costs of preparing ballots specifically for school board elections and administering elections every year. Further, pooling resources with other local governments during general elections makes more polling places and longer polling times available to voters.
Other states, however, that have implemented similar legislation for school board elections, are reverting back to the old schedule, not seeing anticipated cost savings and efficiencies.
Opponents of the new election schedule also argue that without the staggered elections every year, school boards could suffer from lack of longevity.
For example, three new people could replace incumbents this year. In two years, four other board seats are due to expire, and if all new people fill those seats, Luverne School Board could see a total turnover of members in a two-year span.
"I'd like to see us support a resolution switching us back to spring elections," Board member Steve Tofteland said during a Sept. 11 workshop of Luverne School Board.
He added that school board candidates may get lost on the general election ballots with so many other candidates to decide on.
"Now, if there's a school issue, it may be shadowed by other state and national issues," Tofteland said. "We may get more voters, but will they have the issues?"
He said other districts represented at the Minnesota School Board Association fall legislative meeting echoed those sentiments.
"A number of school boards feel the same way," he said Tuesday. "They didn't understand what was wrong with the old system, and they'd like to see it go back to the old way. Things they thought would help, it didn't."
This will be the first time the Luverne School Board election coincides with the November general election.
With the new legislation, districts can choose to stage elections during even or odd years. Hills-Beaver Creek, has opted to have its election on odd years, so its election will be next fall in November.