By Sarah Ostergaard
Voters have many choices on November 5: Election Day. You matter – learn what is on the ballot and be sure to vote.
Voters residing within the School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties (LR5) will vote (1) together for or against a school bond referendum and (2) separately for school board members, two in Lexington County and one in Richland County.
The school bond at issue is a general obligation bond (GO bond) that will be used for specific infrastructure projects. A GO bond is one backed by the credit and taxing power of the issuing entity (the LR5 school district) and is paid back with tax revenue. There is a FAQ section on the LR5 website so you can read which infrastructure projects the bond will pay for.
The bond referendum ultimately succeeds or fails based on trust: does the community trust the district and school board to have determined the right projects and to effectively manage the money among the myriad projects? The voters will decide. You matter – learn more and be sure to vote.
Two school board seats in Lexington County and one in Richland County are also up for election. If you live in Lexington County, you vote for the Lexington County candidates. If you live in Richland County, you choose among the Richland County candidates. We can only vote according to the county in which we reside, however, the school board makes decisions as a whole entity and not as separate counties. The school board specifically has limited-to-no power unless it acts as a whole entity. It boggles the mind that Lexington voters have no say over the Richland portion of the school board and vice versa. Our school board is sure to make decisions that affect all of us.
Elections matter. Votes matter. You showing up to vote matters. Candidates know, and track, the demographics and neighborhoods of voters who show up to cast a ballot. Your vote sends the message that you care, that you pay attention, and that you will hold our elected officials accountable. Are you tired of your issues being ignored? Vote. Send the message that you matter.
When and how to vote? Registered voters may vote:
• in person on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5; or
• in person at any early voting center in their county from October 21 through November 2, from 8:30 am to 6 pm; or
• with an absentee ballot (note there are a lot of restrictions and an early deadline so be sure to read up on how to request an absentee ballot).
