BARTON COUNTY —Voters in USD 428 Great Bend voted against a $44.87 million bond to help with renovations to its entire district. The mail-in ballots were sent to registered voters August 20, and were due back to the Barton County Clerk’s Office Thursday, Sept. 5.

The first question of $41,750,000 failed with 2,538 voting against the bond, and 1,993 votes in favor of the bond.

The second question of $3,120,000 required the first question to pass, but there were 2,886 ‘no’ votes and 1,624 ‘yes’ votes.

The total number of ballots counted was 4,547, for a 43.4% voter turnout. There were 10,469 ballots mailed out to registered USD 428 voters. Barton County Election Officer Donna Zimmerman was hoping for closer to 80%, a number that previous mail-in ballots usually have.

Proposed renovations included new entrances to elementary schools, new sixth-grade classroom wing at the middle school, turf field at the middle school, storm shelters at the high school, remodeling the Washington Education Center, and building a new Transportation, Maintenance, and Grounds building at the District Education Center site.

Earlier this week, voters in USD 373 Newton rejected  an $85M bond issue .

Find out more details on USD 428 school bond issue here.