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Brookings school board faces deadline to pick 2026 election date after county says ballots won’t be consolidated
Summary
Superintendent Stacy told trustees the county won’t put the district’s races on its federal ballot, leaving the district to choose either June 2 or Nov. 3, 2026; choosing June would require publishing vacancy notices Dec. 15–30 and could force the district to rent equipment and use paper ballots or hand counts.
Superintendent Stacy said the county has decided its interpretation of the law means the county will not include the school’s races on the county’s federal ballots, leaving the district to decide whether to hold its election June 2 or Nov. 3, 2026.
Stacy said the change shortens the practical timeline for a June election because the district would have to publish notice of vacancies for two consecutive weeks beginning Dec. 15: “So to be on the safe side, we need to decide at the next meeting how we want to proceed,” she said. She urged the board to decide at its Dec. 8 meeting so staff can meet Secretary of State publication requirements.
The superintendent warned trustees of logistical and cost implications if the district holds a separate June election: the district would likely lose access to the county’s electronic tabulators and may need to invest in signage, voting partitions and possibly rent or hand-count paper ballots. “Because we won’t be combined with the county, we don't have access to the electronic tabulators,” Stacy said.
Board members asked for clarification about filing deadlines and how petitioning candidates will indicate whether they seek the remaining one-year term or a full three-year seat if the vacancy and other seats end up on separate ballots. Stacy said those filing rules will be explicit on the Secretary of State’s calendar and that candidates must declare which term they seek when they file.
Why it matters: the board’s decision affects costs, staffing and how quickly a resident appointee — if appointed — will be replaced by an elected member. The superintendent recommended deciding at the Dec. 8 meeting to preserve compliance with publication deadlines and to give the public and potential candidates clear timing to file.
Next steps: the board set a target to decide on the election date at its Dec. 8 meeting and will monitor the city council’s Nov. 25 discussion about its own election plans before finalizing the school’s choice.
