What’s the special election for USD 112 about?
A group of Wilson and Dorrance residents upset with Holyrood-based Unified School District 112’s decision to close Wilson Junior/High School filed a petition in Ellsworth County in May to dissolve the entire district.
The USD 112 School Board in January voted to close the school at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. Facing this, the patrons sought to petition for dissolution of the district after the board declined to take up a request for a one-year extension.
A sprawling district, USD 112 takes in portions of five counties (including Barton), with Ellsworth County serving as the county of record. It includes the communities of Holyrood,, Bushton, Claflin, Dorrance, Frederick, Lorraine, Wilson, Beaver, Dubuque, Odin and Hitschmann, with nearby rural areas.
The petition spawned the need for the special election, county officials said. Now, there will be special elections for the issue in all five counties involved.
Early voting is open in the Tuesday, Aug. 1, special election for Barton County residents who are qualified electors of Holyrood-based Unified School District 112, County Election Officer Bev Schmeidler said. The election is in regards to the disorganization of the district.
The early voting is available through noon Monday, July 31. Ballots must be cast at the County Clerk’s Office located now in the former JC Penney Building, 1500 Kansas in Great Bend (use the public entrance on the east side).
The election involves 864 voters in the northeastern corner of the county.
The ballot question reads:
“Shall the following be adopted? Shall USD 112 be disorganized pursuant to K.S.A. 72-635 to pursue attachment to another school district or organization of the schools therein in anyway provided by law?
“To vote in favor of any question submitted on this ballot, darken the oval to the left of the word ‘Yes.’ To vote against it, darken the oval to the left of the word ‘No.’”
Other election information
• Any registered voter may apply for an advanced ballot by contacting Schmeidler’s office for an application, Schmiedler said. Anyone requesting an advanced ballot must provide photo ID. The applicant must provide ID number on the application
Applications may also be downloaded from the Barton County website at: www.bartoncounty.org (click Departments-Elections-Advance Vote).
Signed applications may be delivered or mailed to the County Clerk or Emailed to records@bartoncounty.org.
• Upon receipt of completed and signed applications, the Clerk’s Office will MAIL the voter with an advanced ballot. But, an elector cannot apply for a ballot for another voter, she said.
Someone may bring in applications for another voter as long as the registered voter signed the application
Advanced mail ballots have been mailed out to those who applied for them.
• An application for an advanced ballot for someone who is sick/disabled/illiterate may be filed during regular advanced ballot application period until the close of the polls on the day of the election.
• If returning a advanced ballot in person, the ballot must be returned to the Clerk’s Office before the close of the polls on election day. An advanced ballot may also now be delivered to the polling location.
• If returning by mail, a ballot must be postmarked on or before election day and received by the Friday following the election.
• Affidavits of assistance forms are available to assist another elector in the application and voting processes.
