April special elections: Ridgefield bond postponed, Woodland levy still on

With uncertainty over the effectiveness of a special election during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ridgefield School District Board of Directors has decided to postpone the April special election for a $40.5 million construction bond until August.

While Ridgefield is holding off for their ballot measure, the Woodland Public Schools Board of Directors has decided to maintain its replacement levy vote.

Both school districts considered what to do with their previously-scheduled elections late last month. According to the board’s resolution, RSD’s decision was a direct result of COVID-19 response, citing Gov. Jay Inslee and President Donald Trump’s respective declarations of states of emergency.

RSD board’s resolution also mentions the call from Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman to cancel the April election given the threat of COVID-19 spread. In a letter dated March 17, Wyman, alongside election officials across the state including Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, asked Inslee to call off the election based on complications from the disease that could hinder elections staff’s ability to deliver an election with the integrity of ones prior to the outbreak.

On March 27, The Seattle Times reported that Inslee’s chief of staff David Postman said the April election would continue, mentioning that some jurisdictions had already spent funds on election preparations.

Ridgefield’s $40.5 million construction bond would be used to build a new elementary school, and is a scaled-down version of a $107 million bond that failed by only a few dozen votes in February.

While Ridgefield holds off on putting a vote to the people, Woodland Public Schools has decided to keep going with its ballot measure. After their own consideration of potential postponement, WPS board of directors decided to maintain the April election during a meeting March 28, according to meeting minutes.

WPS’ ballot measure would replace an expiring local levy that the district uses to help fund its operation, unlike RSD’s bond that would be for new construction. Previously Woodland officials have said the levy is necessary to make up the difference of what the state funds to what the district needs to deliver the level of education it provides.

Woodland also ran their ballot measure in February, though it failed with only about 44.8 percent approval.

Woodland’s decision to maintain the April election is in part due to the necessity to have secure funding before the 2020-2021 school year, which an August or November vote would not allow. According to board documents district officials are developing a contingency budget that would feature $3 million of cuts should the levy not pass.

Options for cuts are planned to be presented at the board’s April 8 meeting, according to meeting minutes.