Finding Success At the Polls

School Administrator, Feb, 1994 by Robert T. Malito

In a climate of "just say no to taxes," how do you get your voters to say "yes" to a school tax increase?

Our school district lost three consecutive school referenda in 1988 and 1989. Clearly, the school district lacked credibility, was perceived to be inflexible, and failed to listen to community concerns.

After we conducted a special style of referendum campaign from January to March 1992, we passed a $35.35 million school tax referendum with a 57 percent "yes" vote.

Our community consists of a mixture of business and farming. We are home to Illinois State University with its 20,000 students and Illinois Wesleyan with its 3,100 students. State Farm Insurance Co. makes its corporate home in our community.

Perhaps we're not your typical town, but our name is Normal.

Ongoing Efforts

Unfortunately, our earlier experiences are being played out in many communities today because of an ineffective campaign organization or because the school district did not communicate its needs to local constituents.

Soon there will be two kinds of public school districts--those who have just passed a referendum and those who need to plan for a future referendum. In Illinois, 61 percent of school referenda submitted to voters in March 1992 failed. Six months later, 69 percent failed. Last February, 71 percent went down to defeat. In April, 67 percent failed. Every school superintendent should investigate the necessary materials to plan a referendum.

No magic formula leads to a successful school tax referendum. A referendum campaign is not a thing or event. It must be an ongoing, daily process in your school district. It requires the involvement of the school board, superintendent, teachers, parents, and citizens. It is not easy and takes an incredible number of hours of hard work by everyone involved. Passing a school tax referendum is the art of informing your citizens of the needs of your district.

Proposed Timetable

Before you begin, ask yourself a few key questions, such as: Do we have the support of the news media? Is the local chamber of commerce behind us? Have we communicated with the public all year, not just at election time? Are we prepared to run the campaign like a full-blown professional, political election?

If you can answer "yes" to these questions, you are ready to move ahead.

I suggest district superintendents follow a referendum-campaign timeline as follows:

* 16 months before election: Begin efforts to rebuild confidence by offering local town meetings and open forums. Update your public. Listen and answer questions clearly.

* 11 months before election: Conduct a door-to-door survey of your community. Ask your parent-teacher organizations to conduct the survey. Seek community support for your needs. Survey data will indicate whether you have this support.

* 7 months before election: Register voters. Have your building principals certified to register voters at their schools.

* 4 months before election: The board of education should adopt a resolution to place the referendum question on the ballot.

* 13 weeks before election: Identify citizens for a referendum steering committee. Board committee and superintendent select leaders and seek their willingness to work. Set up organization. Three weeks are needed to complete this important task.

* 10 weeks before election: Hold meetings, set timeline for campaign.

* 9 weeks before election: Begin talks at schools with parent-teacher organizations.

* 8 weeks before election: Identify campaign logo. Outline publicity. Start fundraising. Register voters daily. Hold training sessions for speakers. Develop issues and answers literature for citizen information.

* 7 weeks before election: Write radio and newspaper ads. Make yard and window signs. Begin speaking to local civic groups and at town meetings.

* 6 weeks before election: Get 10 parents to write letters to the editor of the local newspaper each day for six weeks.

* 4-5 weeks before election: Hold a pep rally to kick off the referendum campaign. Hand out printed material. Sign up volunteer workers. Increase fundraising efforts. Set up information exhibits at local shopping malls. Voter registration deadline will be rapidly approaching. Give three to four presentations each week to local civic groups. Put up yard and window signs throughout your community and keep them up. Replace them if necessary.

* 3 weeks before election: Begin daily radio and newspaper ads. Develop a plan to get the voters out to the polls on election day. Offer a breakfast for retired citizens to spread the facts.

Hold an evening program for former board members at least three weeks before election.

* 1 1/2 weeks before election: Put up large (6-by-8-foot) road signs along major roadways. Mail postcards to potential voters. Hold a postcard writing party. Continue with a strong push of every facet of your campaign.

* Election Day: Conduct election watch throughout polling hours. Hold a large gathering of citizens to see results.

* 1 week after election: Board of education canvass of votes. Evaluate your referendum campaign. Hold an appreciation program to thank people.