News : Election Information: Benton County School Districts

The 2023 City/School Election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Polling places will be open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Information about voter registration is at the bottom of this column)

The following candidates and public measures are included on the November ballot for Benton County.

Belle Plaine

School Director at Large

Vote for no more than three

Alicia Jacobi

Shirley Coles

Benjamin Reineke

Tylar Gallagher

Belle Plaine Public Measure

Summary: To adopt a revenue purpose statement to authorize the expenditure of revenue from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund received by the Belle Plaine Community School District.

Revenue Purpose

Statement: Revenue received by the Belle Plaine Community School District from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund may be spent for any one or more of the following purposes:

To provide funds for property tax relief.

To provide funds to acquire or install information technology infrastructure (including improving buildings or sites for the purpose of accessing broadband digital telecommunications) and school safety and security infrastructure.

To provide funds to build and furnish a new school building or buildings; to build and furnish addition(s) to school buildings in the District; to remodel, reconstruct, repair, expand, and improve the school buildings in the District; to purchase and improve grounds; for demolition work; and to furnish and equip District facilities.

To provide funds for the purchase, lease or lease-purchase of buildings, equipment (including transportation and recreation equipment) or technology and to repair transportation equipment for transporting students as authorized by law, to implement energy conservation measures, sharing or rental of facilities including a joint infrastructure project for the purposes of offering classes under a District-to-community college as authorized in Iowa Code section 423F.3(3)(c), procuring or acquisition of libraries or opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings

To provide funds to purchase land as part of start-up costs for new student construction program or if the sale of the previous student construction was insufficient to purchase land, and to purchase construction materials and supplies for a student-constructed building or shed intended to be retained by and used by the District.

To provide funds to make payments to a municipality or other entity as required under Iowa Code section 403.19(2).

To provide funds for demolition, cleanup, and other costs if such costs are necessitated by, and incurred within two years of, a disaster.

To provide funds to establish and maintain public recreation places and playgrounds; provide for supervision and instruction for recreational activities or for community education purposes.

To provide funds for the payment of principal and interest or retirement of general obligation bonds issued for school infrastructure purposes, energy improvement loans, loan agreements authorized by Iowa Code section 297.36, sales, service, and use tax revenue bonds issued under Iowa Code section 423E.5 or Iowa Code section 423F.4; and

To provide funds for other authorized expenditures and purposes as now or hereafter permitted by law and designated by the Belle Plaine Community School District.

It being understood that if this proposition should fail to be approved by the voters, such failure shall not be construed to terminate or restrict authority previously granted by the voters to expend receipts from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

If adopted, this revenue purpose statement shall remain in effect until replaced or amended by the Belle Plaine Community School District.

Benton Community

School Director

District 1

Vote for no more than one

Nichole Rinholen

Jason Schanbacher

District 2

Vote for no more than one

Theresa Thompson

District 3

Vote for no more than one

Matt Nolte

District 4 to Fill a Vacancy

Vote for no more than one

Scott W. Shaw

District 7

Vote for no more than one

Emily Kaiser

Vinton-Shellsburg School

Director at Large

Le Cox

District 1

Vote for no more than two

Thomas Burke

Rebecca S. Williams

District 2

Jake Fish

Pre-Registration deadline for voter registration closes at 5:00pm Monday, October 23. Persons wishing to participate in this election who register to vote after October 23 will be required to provide proof of identification (i.e. current and valid photo identification card with an expiration date), AND proof of residency in their voting precinct, when they go to the polls on election day, or when they request an absentee ballot in-person. Other provisions may also apply. Persons not registered to vote by October 23, should expect a longer processing time at the polls on election day.

The last day Absentee ballots can be mailed out is on October 23. absentee ballot request forms cannot be mailed out until until October 18. Early voting can also be done in the Auditor's office from October 18-November 6.