Three upcoming school bond elections will be conducted entirely by mail.
Voters in the Westside, Gretna, and Bennington School Districts will decide on their districts’ respective bond issues May 12th. The Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy County Election offices will mail ballots starting Wednesday. Voters have until May 12th to return the ballots.
Douglas County Election Commissioner Dave Phipps says there are advantages to doing some elections by mail.
"Doing it by mail, your ballot just shows up, and you’ve got time to look in to it, see which side you’re going to fall on, how you want to vote, and then give you time to go ahead and get that ballot back."
Phipps says a special school bond election done entirely by mail can yield a voter turnout of 30 to 40 percent. With polling places, the turnout for those elections is sometimes 10 percent.
Westside voters will decide on a $79.9 million bond for building replacements and renovations, and upgrading systems.
Gretna voters will be asked to approve a $57.4 million bond issue for new schools, technology and security upgrades, and land for future development.
Bennington’s bond issue is $38.5 million and includes a new school, as well as security upgrades.