“Polls open TuesdayThe polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. next Tuesday for people voting in the presidential primary as well as in the local elections for the South Whidbey School District levy and the Parks District bond proposal.For polling place information or other election questions, call the Island County Auditor’s Office at 321-5111.It’s all over but the waiting for supporters of the South Whidbey School District levy election next Tuesday.Lisa Bjork, superintendent of schools, told the school board this week that she has completed a long list of guest appearances before clubs and organizations to explain the levy.She said reaction to the two-year levy, which simply replaces an existing maintenance and operation levy, has been positive from the community.The levy will raise slightly over $3 million in each of the next two years, at a cost to property owners of $1.54 per thousand. That’s the same rate as the existing levy for this year.School board members expressed some concern that the presidential preference primary also being held next Tuesday might confuse voters. Voters will be asked to select one of three ballots: Republican, Democrat, or Unaffiliated. But whichever they choose will include the school levy proposal, as well as a bond proposal from the South Whidbey Park and Recreation District.Bjork did express some concern about voter turnout next Tuesday. For the levy to pass, it must receive at least 60 percent voter approval. The turnout requirement is 40 percent of those who voted in the last general election in November, which in the school district was 6,564 voters. Bjork said that was about 1,000 more than the 1997 figure, presumably because I-695 attracted so many voters to the polls last November.As a result, at least 2,626 people must vote next Tuesday, and 60 percent of those must vote yes. That translates into 1,575 yes votes. Another way to pass the levy is to obtain the 1,575 yes votes. Then the total turnout figure does not have to be met.The Island County Auditor’s Office already has received thousands of absentee ballots that have been returned county-wide. Here are some voting numbers supplied by Loann Gullick, elections officer.Total registered voters in Island County: 38,749Registered voters in the South Whidbey School District: 9,972Absentee ballots mailed out county-wide: 13,800Absentee ballots returned as of Friday morning: 5,649Judging by those numbers, South Whidbey has 25 percent of Island County’s registered voters. If that ratio holds true in absentee returns, some 1,927 votes have already been received in the school district election even before voters go to the polls next Tuesday.For those who want to await the election results with friends, members of the South Whidbey Levy Committee will gather at Teddy’s in Freeland beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 29.”