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Wayzata Board reviews options to shift school board elections to even years amid pending S.F. No. 634
Summary
Staff briefed the Board on S.F. No. 634, a pending state bill that would move general elections to even-numbered Novembers; the Board reviewed three local options — transition resolution, extend current terms by one year, or stay in odd years — and set June 9, 2025 as the deadline for action if it chooses to adopt changes.
Board materials summarized a Jan. 30, 2025 bill (S.F. No. 634) under consideration in the Minnesota Legislature that would require city, town and school district general elections to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. The presentation noted that odd-year districts see substantially lower turnout (as low as 10%–28%) compared with roughly 75% turnout in even years for comparable jurisdictions.
Staff presented three options for the Board: (1) pass a resolution changing term lengths for the next two election cycles to transition to even-year November elections in 2028 and 2030; (2) pass a resolution extending current members’ terms by one year (if adopted by July 1, 2025, avoiding a 2025 election); or (3) maintain odd-year elections and await state direction if the law passes. The presentation listed March–May 2025 work sessions for further discussion and identified June 9, 2025 as the meeting by which a resolution would need to be passed to effect a local change.
