Voters living in the Kalispell elementary school district have until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, to decide a $3.35 million bond request.

People living in other elementary school districts that feed into Kalispell high schools are not eligible to vote on this issue.

Of the 13,053 ballots mailed out in August, 32 percent have been returned to Kalispell Public Schools.

Ballots may be mailed or delivered to the Central Administration Office located upstairs in the Flathead County Library building at 233 First Ave. E., Kalispell.

The school district is asking for money to alleviate overcrowding at the elementary level by building a multipurpose room and four classrooms at Peterson Elementary and four classrooms at Edgerton Elementary School.

Money also would build a new central kitchen at Kalispell Middle School.

Passage of the bond request would cost owners of a home valued at $100,000 an extra $9.48 a year in property tax. Owners of a home valued at $200,000 would have an annual tax increase of $18.95.

At a board meeting Tuesday, Superintendent Darlene Schottle reported that through a combination of new students and students leaving the elementary district, class sizes appear to be holding at an enrollment similar to last school year.

With staff additions made this year — partly funded by an extra $211,500 tax levy — class sizes were reduced slightly, although the majority of kindergarten through second grade classrooms still have too many students to meet accreditation standards.

“We’re happy to report at least class sizes are down, but we are still very full,” Schottle said.

Schottle said that at the high school level, enrollment has increased from last year by 45 students at Flathead High School and 52 students at Glacier High School.

For more information about the election, call 751-3400.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].