According to the Wisconsin Education Association Council, 82.7 percent of the school funding referendums in the state passed in 2022. In some cases, when a school district’s referendum doesn’t pass, it will try again.
Here are the steps to take to increase your chances of winning a school referendum after it fails the first time around.
FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPROVE
You need to determine why the referendum failed in the first place so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes. Then you need to explain to the community how this campaign will be different than the first–otherwise, why would anyone change their votes?
For example, it’s possible that some of the people who voted no didn’t feel they were fully informed the first time around, like they were being kept in the dark. As a result, you may need to increase your communications–and in some cases, overcommunicate–through a dedicated webpage, handouts, social media, traditional media, community meetings, canvassing, a dedicated email address for questions and direct mail.
You will likely also need to include more and/or different information than you had in the previous campaign. A referendum can fail when you don’t adequately explain a compelling need AND when you don’t adequately explain the adverse outcomes if it doesn’t pass.
WORK WITH YOUR CRITICS
It may seem counterintuitive, but you should consider inviting your most ardent critics to the table. You need to show you care about their opinions (really, their feelings) and are willing to listen to their concerns and ideas. You may end up finding a middle ground that works for all parties, and you may win some of your critics over.
In addition, it’s important for school leadership to present a unified front. For example, if there are members of the school board opposed to the referendum, then your efforts will be significantly weakened. You will need to either convince them to be in favor of the referendum, find a middle ground or have them stay neutral.
GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED
Your campaign can’t simply be the school leadership serving as the only voice. You need to organize a committee made up of all segments of the community that will help make key decisions. That way, other members of the community will know that their own peers are shaping the referendum.
School leaders can support, but should not interfere, with the work of the committee. These committee members may be more in touch with the community, and as a result, they, not school leaders, should be the ones who encourage voters to support the referendum.