What ISD 728 voters are deciding on November 3
A guide to School District Question 1, with a source on every fact. Updated October 12, 2026.
Voters in the Elk River Area School District will answer one question that approves two school taxes together. One is up to $350 million in building bonds. The other is a ten-year capital project levy expected to raise about $9 million in its first year. The district's financial advisor estimates the first-year cost at $419 for a $400,000 home.
What is on the ballot?
One yes-or-no question, School District Question 1, that approves the bonds and the capital project levy as a package.
The bonds would pay most of the cost of a new high school and a new early childhood through grade 8 school in Otsego, an education center for special education and alternative learners, a classroom addition at Hassan Elementary, career and technical education spaces, and secure entrances. The levy would pay for technology, curriculum, and utility costs for ten years.ISD 728 School BoardMinnesota Department of Education
State law allows a bond question and a capital project levy question to be combined this way. There is no second school question on the ballot, so neither part can pass without the other. It is not an operating levy, even though the district's flyer calls the $9 million an “operating levy.”Minnesota Revisor of StatutesISD 728
Four ISD 728 school board seats and a statewide constitutional amendment on school funding are on the same ballot. The amendment is a separate question and is explained on the Amendment 1 page.ISD 728
The ballot question, word for word
School District Question 1
Approval of Bond Issue and Capital Project Levy Authorization
The school board of Independent School District No. 728 (Elk River Area Schools) has proposed a project for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the construction and equipping of a new high school and early childhood through middle school building in Otsego, Minnesota; the construction and equipping of an education center to serve alternative high school learners and children with disabilities; the construction of safety improvements and secure entrances at school sites and facilities, including at the Zimmerman Middle/High School and Rogers Middle School; the construction and equipping of a classroom addition at the Hassan Elementary School; remodeling and updates to the career and technical education (CTE) spaces in Zimmerman, Elk River and Rogers; repair and renovation projects at school sites and facilities; the acquisition, installation, replacement, support and maintenance of software, educational software, software licenses, computers, improved technology equipment, networks, infrastructure, the costs of technology related personnel and training; the acquisition of curriculum, textbooks and materials; utility services costs and other capital revenue purposes. To provide funds for a portion of the project costs, the school board has proposed to issue general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $350,000,000. To provide funds for the remaining portion of the project costs, the school board has proposed a capital project levy authorization in the amount of 5.579% times the net tax capacity of the school district. The proposed capital project levy will raise approximately $9,000,000 for taxes payable in 2027, the first year it is to be levied, and would be authorized for ten (10) years. The estimated total cost of the projects to be funded by the capital project levy authorization is approximately $90,000,000. The projects to be funded have received a positive review and comment from the Commissioner of Education.
Shall the issuance of the general obligation school building bonds and the capital project levy authorization proposed by the school board of Independent School District No. 728 be approved?
BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
From the resolution the school board adopted July 13, 2026.ResolutionDistrict ballot page
What do yes and no mean?
A yes vote
A no vote
A simple majority of the votes cast on the question decides it. Because the Commissioner of Education gave the projects a positive review, the 60% threshold that follows a negative review does not apply.Minnesota Revisor of StatutesMinnesota Department of Education
Who votes on it?
Registered voters who live inside the ISD 728 boundary. In Nowthen, that is only the part of the city in ISD 728.
ISD 728 covers about 94 square miles and serves Elk River, Rogers, Otsego, Zimmerman, and surrounding areas across several counties. Every precinct, or part of a precinct, inside the boundary votes.ISD 728ISD 728 School Board
Nowthen is split among three school districts. Anoka County lists a separate taxing area for each. Only residents of taxing area 47728, the ISD 728 part, see this question. Residents in the St. Francis and Anoka-Hennepin parts of Nowthen do not.Anoka County
| School district | County taxing area | Nowthen parcels |
|---|---|---|
| ISD 728 Elk River | 47728 | 878 |
| ISD 15 St. Francis | 46015 | 781 |
| ISD 11 Anoka-Hennepin | 45011 | 509 |
Parcels in the City of Nowthen by school district, Anoka County tax year 2026 roll. Counts are parcels, not voters or households.Anoka County GIS
Of Nowthen's 878 ISD 728 parcels, 565 are residential single unit (class 1a) (513 homesteaded), 197 are agricultural (class 2a), 27 are industrial, 21 are rural vacant (class 2b), 14 are residential 1 to 3 units, and 13 are commercial preferential. The rest are smaller classes. All 878 are assigned to Elk River High School.Anoka County GIS
How did it get to the ballot, and when can I vote?
- Sept. 2025 to Jan. 2026Community Facilities Task Force meets
It presented three options to the school board on January 12, 2026.ISD 728
- Spring 2026Community survey
School Perceptions surveyed residents for the district. 4,859 people responded and the survey closed April 27.School Perceptions for ISD 728
- May 19, 2026Administration presents its recommendationISD 728
- May 26, 2026Board votes 6 to 1 to prepare a November 3 referendum
Anderson, Weis, Nordos, Steinbrecher, Hamlin, and Madsen voted yes. Freiberg voted no.ISD 728 School Board
- June 6, 2026Ehlers issues its pre-election tax impact tableEhlers
- July 13, 2026Board adopts the resolution calling the election, 5 to 1
Anderson, Madsen, Steinbrecher, Weis, and Hamlin voted yes. Freiberg voted no. Nordos was absent.ISD 728 School BoardISD 728 School Board
- July 23, 2026Commissioner of Education gives a positive review and commentMinnesota Department of Education
- Sept. 14, 2026Board holds the required public meeting on the review and commentISD 728
- Sept. 18, 2026Absentee voting beginsISD 728
- Oct. 16 to Nov. 2, 2026Early in-person votingISD 728
- Oct. 19, 22, 27, and 28, 2026District community meetings, all at 7 p.m.
Zimmerman (ZMHS Auditorium) Oct. 19, Rogers (RMS Cafeteria) Oct. 22, Otsego (PVMS Commons) Oct. 27, and Elk River (ERHS Zabee Theater) Oct. 28.ISD 728
- Nov. 3, 2026Election DayISD 728