Don’t let Election Day pass by

The week of Jan. 21, 150,798 registered voters in Clark County began receiving their Feb. 12 special election ballots in the mail. As of today, nearly 35,000 have been returned.

School districts around the area, including Camas, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Battle Ground and La Center have submitted levy propositions primarily to fund schools’ maintenance and operations and technology programs. Of course, in our community, it’s the two levies for the Camas School District that are catching the most attention.

The Camas replacement M&O levy is $48.2 million and continues local funding for current programs and services. The technology levy is $5.27 million and will be used to upgrade equipment and provide tools for all students at every school.

The M & O levy is used for additional classroom staffing, textbooks and curriculum materials, all extracurricular activities, special education, student health and safety, accelerated programs, and professional development for staff and school libraries.

The technology levy will be used for mobile computers, online learning, classroom equipment, upgraded computer labs, technology training for teachers and network systems.

The importance of taking part in local elections cannot be understated. They are an opportunity for each and every one of us, regardless of background or economic status, to have a say in what happens in our communities, and in this case in our schools. Don’t let that ballot simply sit on the counter, take a few minutes to make your opinions heard.