ORR school district stays open after 41-vote margin

The Oldham-Ramona-Rutland School District will remain open for at least one more school year after voters rejected a dissolution plan on Tuesday. The unofficial results show 393 votes against the reorganization and 352 votes in favor of dissolving the district.

The vote creates a narrow margin of 41 votes. This outcome means the district will not split its land, records, and assets among neighboring districts as outlined in the reorganization plan. Instead, the district will continue operations through the end of the 2026-2027 school year.

Election officials counted 745 ballots in total. The tally included 738 valid votes, while six ballots were rejected or set aside. Two ballots were spoiled, and two had both options checked, rendering them uncountable. Five additional ballots were labeled provisional pending registration validation.

Business manager Amber Malisch is validating the provisional ballots on Wednesday, November 11. The final results will be made official at the district’s school board meeting that evening at 5:30 p.m. in the Rutland Media Center. Provisional ballots are counted one hour before this canvassing process begins.

The election was held at the Nunda Fire Hall from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Counting concluded around 1 a.m. on Wednesday due to delays in processing absentee votes. Election workers cited a lack of daytime preparation time as the reason for the extended session. The process involved a heated review of absentee ballot challenges that lasted more than three hours after the polls closed.

Board member Brooke Albertson reacted to the result with a focus on the continued workload. “We are staying open. It is another close vote, and that means we still have a lot of work to do,” Albertson told the Daily Leader. The administrative team attended the count alongside community members and poll watchers.

Poll watcher Julie Gehrels and Sarah Wilson raised objections to several voters’ eligibility. They argued that some voters maintained homes in other districts. The election workers rejected two absentee challenges by a 2-1 vote, relying on registration forms and personal knowledge. Five other challenges were accepted unanimously, moving those ballots to the provisional pile.

Election worker Susan Pederson, the precinct superintendent, managed the count alongside deputies Sue Hageman and Joyce Dragseth. Pederson noted the emotional weight of the challenges. “I feel so bad about potentially disenfranchising voters. It's a very serious thing,” Pederson said. The workers ultimately decided unanimously to treat one specific contested ballot as provisional.

One absentee ballot was not counted because the corresponding form could not be located. Malisch confirmed the voter would be notified of the decision. South Dakota law limits challenges to issues of identity or recent felony convictions and mental incompetence declarations. The definition of a resident requires maintaining a permanent dwelling where the individual lives and sleeps for at least 30 consecutive days.

The counting room fell silent as Pederson read each ballot aloud. Observers tracked the totals on their phones and notepads. The atmosphere remained tense but orderly as the two piles of ballots grew. Pederson marked the end of the long night with a comment on her hearing aids running out of battery, signaling it was time for the workers to go home.