Results for the 2021 ISD 197 School Board & Levy Election

Thanks to Pace’s Tire and Service Center for their support. You can check their website for the latest oil change and other specials.

In the ISD 197 election, the levy renewal passes with 68% of the vote and Sarah Larsen, Marcus Hill, and Jon Vaupel win seats on the school board. The margin of victory for third over fourth was half a percent, some 91 votes.

Election Results: Levy Renewal

	Vote Totals:	Percentage:
Yes:	4,388	67.75%
No:	2,089	32.25%

Election Results: School Board

Candidates:	Vote Totals:	Percentage:
Sarah Larsen	3,039	16.77%
Marcus Hill*	2,363	13.04%
Jon Vaupel	2,319	12.80%
Robert Reese	2,228	12.30%
Mark Grondahl	2,133	11.77%
Stephanie A. Auran	2,054	11.34%
John Chandler*	1,715	9.47%
Timothy J. Aune	972	5.36%
Morgan Steele	921	5.08%
Elena Villarreal**	303	1.67%
Write-in	72	0.40%

Election Trends & Notes

• Turnout: The last contested school board race in 2015 had a turnout of only 5%, so it wasn’t hard to beat that measure. Unofficial numbers look like we’ll have a turnout of roughly 22%.
• Close: With nine engaged candidates, this race always looked to be close. The final result was incredibly close, at 0.5%. The closest margin of victory in recent history was John Chandler’s 1.85% in 2013.
• Diversity: Already the first Black school board member in ISD 197 due to his January 2021 appointment, Hill’s election victory makes him the first elected Black school board member in ISD 197. We talked with Hill last week about the value of lived experience on the school board.

Thanks to everyone who voted, thanks to the election judges for their hard work, and thanks to the candidates for caring about our schools. The best way to celebrate our democracy is to participate in it, and we’re grateful to do our part in helping voters stay informed.

This kind of local election coverage only happens thanks to our generous supporters. Consider joining them with monthly or annual support through Patreon and help keep your community informed.