B-B-E school levy fails by narrow margin

For the first time since 2008, a school levy vote has failed at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa.

It wasn't by much, though.

On election night, November 6, 2018, results were fully reported shortly after 11 p.m. for the precincts of Stearns, Pope and Kandiyohi counties that lie in the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa school district. The final tally showed 790 no votes to 736 yes votes.

In November 2010, the district passed a levy referendum 735 yes to 636 no. That took place about a year-and-a-half after a mail-in levy failed at B-B-E with about 68 percent of voters turning it down in June 2008.

The biggest difference between 2010 and 2018 existed in the rural townships and the city of Elrosa. In Elrosa in 2010, voters came to a draw, 38 to 38. This year, voters in Elrosa turned it down 61 to 25.

In another example, in Kandiyohi County's Colfax Township, voters passed it 66 to 37 in 2010. This year it passed 62 to 58. In Norway Lake Township, the levy failed 51 to 32 this year. In 2010, the levy passed 36 to 31 in that township.

Other results will be published in the November 8 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.