Princeton voters headed back to the polls on Tuesday for a referendum do-over that carries a hefty price tag and plenty of opinions. On the ballot is a single-question measure that bundles a $51.35 million school building bond with a separate technology levy of $750,000 per year. The proposal is largely a reprise of one voters turned down in November, and district leaders say the funding would replace aging career and technical education spaces, ease crowding in core classrooms and tackle accessibility problems at the high school. Polls are open during the day and are set to close at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Superintendent Pat Devine told KSTP that the district’s CTE area is “a pole barn that was built in 1970 that was supposed to be temporary and we’re still in it,” with asbestos in the walls, dim lighting and poor ventilation. He said the bond would be used to modernize shops and labs, address accessibility challenges in the high school, and that a local union has lined up in support of the plan.
What’s on the ballot
The referendum asks a single yes-or-no question that combines a $51.35 million building bond with a 10-year capital projects (technology) levy of $750,000 annually. The tech levy would pay for devices, software, network upgrades and trade-specific tools.
According to Roaring Forward, the bond portion would renovate and expand CTE spaces that serve automotive, welding, woods, machining, culinary and healthcare programs. The plan would also update science labs and core academic classrooms that district leaders describe as undersized for current enrollment and programming.
Tax estimates and tools
The district’s municipal advisor has supplied online tools to help residents run the numbers before they vote. The proposed capital projects levy is expected to raise about $750,000 for taxes payable in 2026, and those estimates are being used to model parcel-specific impacts.
Ehlers provides sample tax-impact calculations for property owners in Mille Lacs, Isanti and Sherburne counties so voters can plug in their information and see how both the bond and the levy could affect their individual tax bills.
Why the quick rematch
District officials say last fall’s low participation is a big reason the question is back so quickly. Devine told KSTP that only about 22% of roughly 15,000 eligible voters cast ballots in November and that leaders wanted to avoid the political noise of a midterm-style election when trying again.
In response to concerns about cost, the district trimmed the estimated impact on homeowners from the November version. Local reporting has put the new estimate at about $14 per month for the owner of a $350,000 home. Supporters argue that the relatively small monthly cost per household would translate into long-term facility upgrades and stronger local career pathways for students.
Supporters and skeptics
Backers of the referendum include school leaders, the district’s campaign group and some local businesses, who cast the plan as a direct investment in workforce development. District materials note that roughly half of Princeton High School students pursue career and technical paths after graduation, and advocates say updated labs and shop spaces would better match the skills local employers need.
Roaring Forward highlights the promise of new equipment, safer shop areas and essential building repairs as core reasons to vote yes. Opponents, meanwhile, remain most focused on the added property-tax burden and the speed with which the district has returned with another tax request.
Where to vote and what happens next
The Minnesota Secretary of State lists the Princeton Public Schools District Center at 706 1st St and Princeton High School at 807 8th Ave S as among the local early-voting sites tied to the May 12 special election. The Secretary of State also provides absentee-voting schedules and full polling-location details for Election Day.
Once polls close at 8 p.m., election officials will tally and release results. If voters sign off on the measure, the school board will decide how to sequence the projects and spending tied to the bond and technology levy.
