Joe, excellent point! Since roughly half of the population are registered voters, unless you got EVERY registered voter to vote the same way, nearly every election isn't decided by a majority (so much for "majority rules") Maybe we need a law (that doesn't require that everyone be registered or even that every registered voter to vote), but require that if fewer than 50% of the citizens in any election cast votes, the entire election is null and void...this would encourage people to vote (and would eliminate so many things from passing that don't deserve it). 11,000 votes were cast in favor...hmmm..how many teachers are there in the OKC school district? LOL

I would hardly call it a "landslide". Considering that there are about 300,000 registered voters in Oklahoma City, and about 14,000 votes were cast, that's a turnout of LESS than FIVE PERCENT of the eligible voters. 78% of that is 3.9% of the eligible voters. So one could say that the bond issue passed with the approval of 3.9% of the total registered voters.
A thought: In Parliamentary Procedure, what's the number for a quorum - i.e. how many members have to be present in order for the group to do business?? Surely more than 3.9%

Larry, it's actually a good question. Our state used to have thousands of school districts. Their boundaries were never contiguous with city boundaries. Now we have 539 school districts. Bethany, for example, is less than one square mile. OKC Public, Putnam City, Moore, and others are quite large, both in size and enrollment. While you reside in the OKC metro, this vote does not affect your property taxes. Only bond elections for the PC school district will.

Sheesh. We passed gambling and now this for 'our children'. When do we do illegal drugs and prostitution to raise taxes for 'our children'? It seems like all you have to say is "It's for our children" and you can pass any sort of tax in this state.

James (not rude at all and I hope my post didn't come across that way either). I have lived at my current address for 7 years now. I vote in every election that I am "allowed" and have often wondered (and asked, but have never gotten a satisfactory answer) to the school district question. I have asked the election board, my council person(s), the mayor, and the school board. No one can answer the question. I can only presume that the school districts (such as Putnam City) were at one time cities/towns and over the decades OKC has swallowed many of the towns up (but why didn't the school district get incorporated as well?) I have no problem with the taxes of a district going to the schools in that district. That isn't the issue. The question is if you live in OKC why are you NOT in the OKC school district? It makes no sense. I have another question...is any of the money in this election going to go the these "overlapping" school disticts? (as the "Maps for Kids" money did--the Maps for Kids oversight will be manging these funds as well) If so, shouldn't every voter in the areas that will be getting the money have the right to vote?

I'm not meaning to come off as rude, but how long have you lived in your residence? I'm also in OKC but in the Putnam City district; we've voted on many bond issues over the years that affect THAT district, not the OKC district. Conversely residents in the OKC school district do not vote in our elections. Our property taxes are unaffected by today's vote because of the aforementioned facts. I've lived here in the metro all my life, and as far as I know this is the way it's always been regarding the school district boundaries having NOTHING to do with the city limit boundaries. I guess there must have been a method to the madness back in the day!

James & Justin (or anyone else): Please explain how/why the school district is NOT the same as the city where you live? As I said, I am squarely in OKC (not on the edge of town or near any “bordering” city). This is only logical. I believe the Constitutional right to vote is very important, am sorry to see that Jason doesn’t agree. Perhaps if someone denied HIS right to vote... And the fact that my “no” vote not making a difference in the outcome of the election (which wasn't even allowed) is irrelevant ... it is every citizens right to expect their vote to be allowed and counted.

The portion of one's property tax alloted for schools always goes to the school district in which the property is located. The municipality has nothing to do with it; in fact, there are many school districts besides OKC schools that overlay the Oklahoma City limits, including Western Heights, Deer Creek, Millwood, and even Piedmont, Yukon and Edmond! It's actually very constitutional; I want my taxes benefiting my children's school district. Even though I live in OKC but fall in the Putnam City district as well, I congratulate the OKC schools for their victory tonight-I think the days of mediocrity are over!

Larry, it sounds like your "no" vote wouldn't have amounted to a hill of beans. Granted someone wasted money sending you fliers, but you should probably find your home on the county assessor's webpage and figure out your taxing district and school system. You can find exactly where your property taxes are going. The Constitution doesn't have anything to do with it.

Congratulations to Oklahoma City citizens for passing these bond issues. We used to be unable to pass those despite years of trying. What a change this city has made in 10 years!