Special elections are around the corner

If you want your voice to be heard in matters of education in Carmel, Westfield or Sheridan, mark your calendars for the upcoming May 2 referendum elections in Hamilton County.

At issue are tax increases for academic support programs, school improvements, maintaining teaching staff and classroom sizes.

The following are the questions that will appear on the ballot for the various school corporations on May 2, 2017:

Carmel Clay School Corporation

“For the seven (7) calendar years immediately following the holding of the referendum, shall Carmel Clay Schools impose a property tax rate that does not exceed nineteen cents ($0.19) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation and that is in addition to all other property taxes imposed by the school corporation for the purpose of funding academic and support programs, teaching positions, and other educational needs of the school corporation?”

Westfield Washington School Corporation

“Shall Westfield Washington Schools issue bonds or enter into a lease to finance the 2017 Capacity, Safety, Efficiency, Renovation and Technology Project which includes the renovation of and improvements to Westfield Elementary Schools, Intermediate School, Middle School and High School, which is estimated to cost not more than $90,000,000 and is estimated to increase the property tax rate for debt service by a maximum of $0.3079 per $100 of assessed valuation?

Sheridan Community School Corporation

“For the seven (7) calendar years immediately following the holding of the referendum, shall Sheridan Community Schools impose a property tax rate that does not exceed twenty-five cents ($0.25) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation and that is in addition to all other property taxes imposed by the school corporation for the purpose of funding and maintaining teaching staff, classroom sizes, and academic related programs?”

If you are not yet a registered voted in Hamilton County, Monday, April 3, is the deadline to register to vote on these issues for Clay, Washington and Adams Townships.

2017 Carmel, Westfield and Sheridan Schools Special Election Dates

April 3: Last day to register to vote in Adams, Clay and Washington Townships

April 10: Absentee voting begins at 8 a.m. at the Judicial Center in downtown Noblesville

April 7: Last day of reporting for PACS for the Referendums

April 11: Last day for County Chairman to submit names of poll workers

April 14: Closed for Good Friday

April 17: Deadline by noon to file Pre-Election Report

April 29: Poll worker training 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

May 2: Special Election Day in the Townships of Clay, Washington and Adams only. Polls will be open in your regular voting location unless you receive a change of voting location notice in the mail.

Absentee Voting Schedule

April 10: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 11: 8 a.m. to 4:30p.m.

April 12: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 13: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 14: Closed

April 17: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 18: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 19: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 20: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 21: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 22: 9 a.m. to 4p.m.

April 24: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 25: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 26: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 27: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 28: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 29: 9 a.m. to 4p.m.

May 1: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.