Roseau board calls Nov. 4 special election on $1,000-per-pupil referendum

The Roseau Public School District Board of Directors voted July 16 to call a special election on Nov. 4, 2025 to ask voters to approve a new referendum revenue authorization of $1,000 per pupil, subject to annual inflation adjustments. The motion to adopt the resolution was introduced by Member Jodee Haugen, seconded by Heather Magnusson, and approved by roll call with Didrikson, Vatnsdal, Magnusson, Simmons, Haugen and Kvien voting in favor and none opposed.

The resolution, included in the meeting packet, states that the proposed authorization "increase[s] the School District’s general education revenue by $1,000 per pupil, subject to an annual increase at the rate of inflation." It says the authorization would be first levied in 2025 for taxes payable in 2026 and would apply for ten years unless altered under state law. The board packet also lists an estimated referendum tax rate of 0.1903% for taxes payable in 2026 and a table showing sample annual and monthly impacts for residential and commercial market values.

The resolution directs the clerk to undertake the election logistics required by Minnesota law: notifying county auditors and the Minnesota Department of Education, mailing notices to taxpayers, publishing legal notices, preparing ballots (including for an optical-scan system if used), and coordinating absentee ballot and ballot-board procedures. The polling place listed in the notice is Roseau City Center, 121 Center Street East, Roseau, MN; polling hours for the special election are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Next steps include the clerk mailing required notices and coordinating election administration as described in the resolution. The board set a post-election canvass window between Nov. 7 and Nov. 14, 2025 to certify results.