St. Charles voters reject D303's $282.5 million school bond request

Voters in St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 turned down the district's $282.5 million school building bond request on Nov. 3, according to unofficial results.

In the Kane County part of the district, 15,600 voters (56.64%) said no and 11,942 (43.36%) said yes, with all 47 precincts counted, according to the Kane County Clerk's unofficial results, last updated at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5. The district also reaches into DuPage County, where 692 voters (52.99%) said no and 614 (47.01%) said yes, according to that county's unofficial results, last updated Friday, Nov. 6.

Together that is 16,292 no votes to 12,556 yes, about 56.5% to 43.5%.

The results are not final. Both counties still labeled their totals unofficial as of Monday, Nov. 9. Late mail ballots can still be added, and counties certify totals about two weeks after the election, Shaw Local reported. Across both counties, the no side leads by 3,736 votes.

The $312.5 million plan on the ballot

The ballot question asked to borrow $282.5 million to repair and expand schools across the district. District 303 put the full package at $312.5 million and said it had set aside $30 million of its own money to cover the rest.

The plan listed roof replacements, mechanical, electrical and plumbing updates, safety and security work, accessibility upgrades under the Americans with Disabilities Act and more space for career and technical education. The largest single project was a $61.9 million physical education and athletic facility at St. Charles North High School. Wild Rose and Davis elementary schools were in line for $45.1 million in accessibility work, and three elementary schools and both middle schools would have gotten additions.

For the owner of a $500,000 home, news reports put the tax increase at about $645 a year (Chicago Tribune) or $678 a year (Kane County Chronicle). Both figures came from the district's online tax calculator.

The full project list and the board's timeline are on the district's referendum page, district.d303.org/referendum.

24 years without a passed referendum

District 303 voters last approved a school referendum 24 years ago, the Kane County Chronicle reported. Ballot measures failed in 2005, 2006 and 2009.

Turnout was high this time. Of 44,412 registered voters in the district's Kane County precincts, 28,077 cast ballots, a turnout of 63.2%, according to the clerk's results.

Neighboring districts had better luck. Oswego District 308 and Yorkville District 115 both appear to have won voter approval for their own bond requests, the Tribune reported.

The repair list is still there

The roofs, mechanical systems and accessibility work in the plan are still on the district's list. The vote takes away the bond money that would have paid for them.

The district has since posted a short update on its referendum page. "While the November 3 referendum did not pass, we appreciate your engagement and partnership throughout the process," it reads. "We look forward to your continued feedback as we determine our next steps together."

The page links to both counties' results. It had not added a date, survey or timeline for those next steps as of Monday, Nov. 9.

District 303's own planning calendar calls for an update on facility conditions and needs in late fall, a mid-year update on facility projects in winter, and a look at facility priorities and possible next steps in spring. The board adopts its annual tax levy in December. Board meetings are open to the public and streamed on the district's YouTube channel.

The next scheduled election in Kane County is the consolidated election on April 6, 2027.