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Lincoln K‑12 board hears May 6 election logistics as staff warn outreach will be a challenge
Summary
The Lincoln K‑12 board reviewed election logistics for the May 6 school election, including four trustee candidates, a large absentee ballot load and planned mailing dates. Board and staff discussed outreach limits because the district lacks a local newspaper.
The Lincoln K‑12 Schools board heard a detailed update on plans for the district’s May 6 school election, including the ballot schedule, candidate list and outreach steps. District staff told the board they will hand‑count ballots and that absentee ballots will be stuffed and mailed between the 16th and the 21st ahead of election day.
“ So we are having a full election. It's gonna take place on Tuesday, May 6,” said the staff member who presented the election materials (speaker S3). The presenter said four trustee applications were received: “Marlene Lumpkin, Sarah Tams, Stevie Fairs, and Pamela gee Ingles,” and provided sample ballots and accessibility information identifying the Lincoln School Library as an accessible polling location.
The clerk reported the district’s voter rolls and absentee volume: “We have 1,024 registered voters currently in link in Lincoln School District, and 936 are absentee,” the presenter said. Staff also said they have coordinated with the post office to pick up the ballots and will begin stuffing absentee envelopes in the days before mailing.
Board members and residents pressed staff on outreach to inform voters about the mill levy and the election date. Without a local newspaper, the district is relying on the school newsletter, postings at the library and post office, Facebook and the district website. Community members raised the prospect of a paid mailer but cited an estimated postage cost of about $1,000 and legal restrictions on using clerk resources to promote ballot positions.
“Because you're promoting it, so you can't really… me as a clerk, I thought that…” the clerk said, explaining that district employees must avoid promoting ballot issues in their official capacities. Board members encouraged non‑district volunteers and local organizations to help disseminate information.
The board did not adopt new election rules at the meeting; staff said they had already approved the notice of annual school election at a previous meeting and that the immediate work will be finalizing ballot pickups and mailing absentee ballots.
Next steps: staff will complete absentee envelope stuffing and mail ballots between the 16th and 21st; voters may obtain in‑person ballots at the district's designated polling location on May 6. The board discussed, but did not vote on, additional paid outreach measures during the meeting.
