Limiting School Levies to Presidential Election Years

Stability and Long-Term Planning:

One of the primary reasons to limit school levies to presidential election years is to provide stability and enable long-term planning for school districts. Schools require consistent funding to provide quality education, maintain facilities, and plan for the future. Frequent levy campaigns disrupt this stability by diverting resources, time, and attention away from education and toward campaigning. By holding levies only in presidential election years, schools can better plan their budgets and programs without the constant uncertainty of financial shortfalls.

Community Engagement and Awareness:

Presidential election years garner the highest voter turnout, drawing a broad cross-section of the community to the polls. By aligning school levy elections with presidential elections, school districts can ensure maximum community engagement and awareness. This means that more residents, representing diverse perspectives, will participate in the decision-making process. It allows for a more accurate reflection of the community's collective will regarding school funding.

Efficiency and Cost Savings:

Running election campaigns is expensive. By consolidating school levy elections with presidential elections, school districts can save valuable resources. Fewer elections mean reduced costs associated with campaign materials, polling stations, and manpower. This efficiency enables school districts to allocate more of their funding directly to education rather than campaign expenses.

Reduction of Voter Fatigue:

Frequent levy campaigns can lead to voter fatigue, where residents become overwhelmed by the constant barrage of requests for funding. This can lead to voter apathy and decreased support for essential school funding measures. By limiting school levies to presidential election years, residents are less likely to experience campaign fatigue, and each levy proposal receives the attention it deserves.

Community Cohesion:

Limiting school levies to presidential election years promotes community cohesion. It brings residents together at a time when they are already engaged in important national and state-level decision-making. This shared experience fosters a sense of unity and common purpose, reinforcing the idea that education is a shared responsibility and priority.

Enhanced Accountability:

Presidential election years provide a natural backdrop for important decisions. By associating school levies with these high-profile elections, school districts enhance accountability. Voters are more likely to scrutinize levy proposals and hold elected officials accountable for their decisions, leading to more informed and thoughtful votes.

In conclusion, limiting Ohio school levies to presidential election years, both in the primary and the general election offers numerous benefits. It promotes stability, community engagement, efficiency, and accountability while reducing costs and voter fatigue. This approach ensures that school funding decisions align with the broader civic participation of the community, ultimately leading to better outcomes for Ohio's schools and students.

Ohio School Levy Election Consolidation Act

Section 1: Purpose and Scope

(a) The purpose of this Act is to promote stability, community engagement, efficiency, and accountability in Ohio school levy elections by consolidating them with presidential election years.

(b) This Act applies to all school levy elections conducted within the State of Ohio.

Section 2: Levy Elections in Presidential Election Years

(a) All school levy elections in Ohio shall be held exclusively during presidential election years, coinciding with either or both the primary and the general election.

(b) School districts shall align their levy proposal schedules with presidential election cycles to ensure that levy elections occur only during these years.

Section 3: Community Engagement and Voter Awareness

(a) Holding school levy elections during presidential election years maximizes community engagement and voter awareness.

(b) The increased voter turnout during presidential election years ensures that a broader cross-section of the community participates in school levy elections, representing diverse perspectives.

Section 4: Efficiency and Cost Savings

(a) Consolidating school levy elections with presidential elections promotes efficiency and cost savings.

(b) By reducing the frequency of levy campaigns, school districts can allocate more resources directly to education rather than campaign-related expenses.

Section 5: Reduction of Voter Fatigue

(a) Frequent levy campaigns can lead to voter fatigue and decreased support for essential school funding measures.

(b) Consolidating school levy elections with presidential elections reduces voter fatigue and ensures that each levy proposal receives the attention it deserves.

Section 6: Community Cohesion

(a) Aligning school levy elections with presidential elections fosters community cohesion.

(b) Residents come together during these high-profile elections, promoting a sense of unity and common purpose in supporting education.

Section 7: Enhanced Accountability

(a) Associating school levy elections with presidential elections enhances accountability.

(b) Voters are more likely to scrutinize levy proposals and hold elected officials accountable for their decisions when these elections coincide with broader civic participation.

Section 8: Implementation and Guidelines

(a) The Ohio Secretary of State shall develop and promulgate guidelines, procedures, and forms necessary for the implementation of this Act.

(b) The Ohio Board of Elections shall coordinate with local election officials to ensure the proper administration of school levy elections in accordance with this Act.

(c) Only the Joint Education Committee shall accept alternate-year applications for waivers for schools, and the committee may submit the waiver for consideration to the General Assembly by joint resolution. If the joint resolution is passed, the Secretary of State will work with County Boards of Elections to submit the levy to voters at the earliest convenience with any regularly scheduled election or upcoming special election.

Section 9: Severability

(a) If any provision of this Act or its application to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

Section 10: Effective Date

(a) This Act shall take effect on [Date] and shall apply to all subsequent school levy elections.