Election 2024: MN ballot questions to know ahead of Election Day

(ABC 6 News) — On Tuesday, November 5, voters will be heading to their polling places to cast their votes on Election Day.

For voters in Minnesota, you may notice a number of questions on your ballot to be answered with a “yes” or “no” vote. To find more info on what will appear on your ballot, click here. Information on each Minnesota ballot question can be found below.

Minnesota Constitutional Amendment

For the entirety of the state, a constitutional amendment will ask voters whether or not a portion of the proceeds from the Minnesota lottery will go towards wildlife conservation. The amendment question reads as follows:

Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to protect drinking water sources and the water quality of lakes, rivers, and streams; conserve wildlife habitat and natural areas; improve air quality; and expand access to parks and trails by extending the transfer of proceeds from the state-operated lottery to the environment and natural resources trust fund, and to dedicate the proceeds for these purposes?

More information on the constitutional amendment can be found here.

School Referendums

A number of school districts in our area will also include questions on the ballots. Information regarding each question can be found below.

Byron Public Schools

In Byron, voters will see a question on their ballot that reads as follows regarding its referendum:

The board of Independent School District No. 531 (Byron Public Schools), Minnesota has proposed to increase the School District’s general education revenue by $800 per pupil, subject to an annual increase at the rate of inflation. The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would be first levied in 2024 for taxes payable in 2025 and applicable for ten (10) years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the new referendum authorization proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 531 (Byron Public Schools), Minnesota be approved?

More information on the Byron referendum can be found here.

Dover-Eyota

Dover-Eyota School District will ask a ballot question regarding its referendum. The question reads as follows:

The school board of Independent School District No. 533 (Dover-Eyota) has proposed to increase its general education revenue by $950 per pupil. The proposed referendum revenue authorization would be applicable for ten years beginning with taxes payable in 2025, and increase each year by the rate of inflation beginning with taxes payable in 2026, unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by the school board of Independent School District No. 533 be approved?

More information on the Dover-Eyota referendum can be found here.

Kingsland Public Schools

The Kingsland Public Schools District will feature two questions on the ballot this year regarding a building bond referendum. The first question reads as follows:

Shall the School board of Independent School District No. 2137 (Kingsland Public Schools), Minnesota be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $8,900,000 for the purpose of providing funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including building maintenance improvements of school sites and facilities, including but not limited to roofs, exterior wall repair, parking lot repair and building infrastructure improvements?

The second question, dependent on the first being passed, reads as follows:

If School District Question 1 is approved, shall the School Board of Independent School District No. 2137 (Kingsland Public Schools), Minnesota (the “School District”), be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds in amount not to exceed $11,500,000 for the purpose of providing funds for acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including but not limited to, a new physical education multi-purpose gymnasium, locker rooms, weights and fitness space and a multi-purpose large group room?

More information on the Kingsland referendum can be found here.

Rochester Public Schools

The Rochester Public Schools District is asking voters to pass a referendum this year. The question reads as follows:

The board of Independent School District No. 535 (Rochester Public Schools), Minnesota has proposed to increase the School District’s general education revenue by $1,133 per pupil, subject to an annual increase at the rate of inflation. The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would be first levied in 2024 for taxes payable in 2025 and applicable for ten (10) years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the new referendum authorization proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 535 (Rochester Public Schools), Minnesota be approved?

More information on the RPS referendum can be found here.

City of Whalan

The City of Whalan will ask a question to its voters regarding whether or not the city should transfer the entirety of its electrical utility system to MiEnergy beginning next year. The question reads as follows:

Should the City of Whalan transfer ownership of their entire municipal electric utility system, including infrastructure and servicve, to MiEnergy Cooperative, effective January 1, 2025?