Posted 4/4/01 Explains the mail in ballot for referendum To the Editor: In April, every registered voter in the North Branch School District will receive a ballot asking us to decide two questions that will impact or community for years to come. The ballot is a mail-in ballot. You will receive it in the mail and may return it by mail or in person to the North Branch District Office. Balloting via the mail versus voting at a polling place like we are used to is NOT a decision of the school district. They are following State statutes and requirements. When you receive your ballot, please be sure to read and follow the instructions carefully. Having never participated in a mail-in balloting process, I was curious to find out more about it. Upon investigation I found out some very important information. According to MN law, before you vote, you must have a witness. Anyone who is registered to vote in MN including your spouse or another relative is eligible to be a witness. When you place the ballot in the tan-colored envelope, make sure you seal it. An unsealed envelope will be rejected. Also, your name, address and signature is required on the return envelope and so is the name, address and signature of your witness. You can drop off or mail the ballot so that it will be delivered by election day. You can also drop off your ballot between 7am and 8pm on election day, May 8th at the North Branch District Office. Your ballot will not count if it is not delivered by election day. Please vote YES to the two questions being asked of us. Right now, our schools are overcrowded at nearly all grade levels and it will only get worse. We have serious issues that must be address now, not later. These problems will not go away until we provide the needed resources to keep our school district one of the best in the state. I took the opportunity to tour the Primary School and Main Street School and saw first-hand the overcrowded, almost claustrophobic conditions to which we are subjecting our children and teachers. Voting YES is a vote for quality education for our kids. Voting YES will also help to ensure a bright future for our community. After all, today they are our children. Tomorrow they will be our leaders. To learn more about the two questions, log onto the Vote Yes for Kids website at: www.wordwell.com/yes . Jeanne Walz North Branch ©Post Review