Hunter
05/05/26
The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a district court decision to reject a challenge to the Highland Community School District’s bond referendum that litigants said passed in 2024 because of illegal votes.
KCRG TV reports in November 2024, voters passed a $15 million bond referendum for a new full size gym and locker rooms for its high school. The referendum got 61% approval, above the 60% threshold to pass.
The Washington County Auditor’s Office told TV9 later that year that some voters had received the wrong ballots and that people who shouldn’t have been allowed to vote on the referendum received a ballot with the measure and cast votes.
Challengers filed a Contest Petition, saying that the ballot mix-up could have impacted the election’s outcome. A Contest Court and Iowa District Court rejected the challenge.
Litigants sent their argument to the state Supreme Court, saying the results should be tossed because of a sufficient number of illegal votes. However, Justices David May and Edward Mansfield said because the challengers could not provide any names of the illegal voters, their suit would not succeed, and it appeared unlikely that the improper votes would have changed the outcome of the referendum.