(Editor’s note: A story in the Feb. 21 Newsleaders about the April 8 special-election referendum for St. Cloud Apollo High School failed to mention the voting precincts in St. Joseph Township. That information has been added to this update of the Feb. 21 story.)
by Dennis Dalman
Early absentee voting is now underway for a bond-referendum election concerning Apollo High School that will take place Tuesday, April 8 throughout the St. Cloud Area School District.
St. Joseph (city) and St. Joseph Township are part of the St. Cloud School District. For information about how to vote “early absentee,” see the last half of this story.
Residents in both voting precincts (precincts 1 and 2) of St. Joseph Township will be able to vote as early-absentee voters or in person April 8 at the St. Joseph Town Hall, located at 935 College Ave. S., south of St. Joseph.
Those who live in the City of St. Joseph’s two precincts can vote at the following places:
Precinct 1 polling place: All residents living west of CR 121/College Avenue/CR 2 and all residents living north of CR 75 should vote at Heritage Hall, 12 Minnesota St. W. It is attached to the east side of the St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Precinct 2 polling place: All residents living east of CR 121/College Avenue/CR 2 and all residents living south of CR 75 should vote at the St. Joseph Government Center, 75 Callaway St. E.
Numerous young St. Joseph area residents attend Apollo High School. The St. Cloud School District includes eight cities, besides St. Cloud.
On the April 8 ballot will be two questions.
Question 1: The referendum will ask voters to consider approving many improvements and additions to Apollo, which was built 54 years ago. They include creating a safe, secure entrance to the school; fire-safety updates; expansion of the school’s kitchen and food-serving area; construction of a storm shelter, renovations to improve facilities for the teaching of technical education, art, music, performing arts and science; a culinary lab for students studying for food-service careers; updated facilities for students planning careers in forms of community management, engineering and manufacturing; and expansion of auto-mechanic bays for students to learn vehicle repair and diesel mechanics.
That ballot question notes the price tag for those improvements and additions is an amount not to exceed $50 million in general-obligation bonding.
Question 2: This referendum question is a request for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities. It includes but is not limited to an indoor multi-purpose athletic facility at Apollo for use by the school district as well as for rentals by others in the school district. The general obligation bond will not exceed $15 million, it states on the ballot question. In order for Question 2 to be approved, Question 1 must first be approved by a majority of voters.
A study was released stating if both questions are approved, an average homeowner with a home valued at $250,000 would pay $3.33 more per month in taxes.
Voting Information
On Election Day (Tuesday, April 8), polls in the school district will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Voters will vote at the same polling places (locations) that they did in the Nov. 5, 2024 general election.
To be sure you know your polling place, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State website and follow the prompts.
Absentee Voting
Absentee voting started Feb. 21. School-district voters can vote early by casting absentee ballots in the St. Cloud Area School District 742 Administration Office, located at 1201 Second St. S. in Waite Park. Voting hours there are from 7:30-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Extended absentee voting times at the Administration Office are from 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 1; from 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, April 3; and from 9 am.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 5.
To find out more about the election and/or to request an absentee ballot, visit the following website: isd742.org/referendum. Then down on the left side of that main page, click on “Polling and Voting Information.” When that page opens, scroll down to “Absentee Voting” in large blue letters. Continue to scroll down to “Absentee Ballot Application” (also in blue letters). Click on that. A ballot application will appear. Read all directions, fill out the application (it can be downloaded to a printer).
The absentee ballot can be returned to:
Randy R. Schreifels/Auditor-Treasurer
Stearns County Service Center
3301 Country Road 138
Waite Park, MN 56387
The phone number of the County Service Center is 320-656-3920. Its email is elections@stearnscountymn.gov.
