That Voting Turnout

There are two ways of looking at the very small turnout of voters who approved the budgets of Randolph Union High School and the Randolph Technical Career Center Tuesday.

Fewer than 10% of the registered voters of the towns of Randolph, Brookfield, and Braintree cast their ballots to agree to a total of more than $10 million. Pocketbook-wise, it’s the most important vote of the year for people in those three towns, and from one perspective, it’s easy to be outraged that more people didn’t exercise their rights. It also could raise questions about whether citizens are remaining vitally interested in their schools.

Another perspective, however, teaches that every time there is a huge voter turnout on the budget, it’s because one group of people is seriously dissatisfied. Nothing brings out voters like controversy. So it’s also possible to argue that Tuesday’s low voter turnout (which wasn’t much lower than last year’s) signals a general satisfaction with the schools in those three towns and their budgets.

There would be good reason to suspect that is the case. Since the arrival of Supt. Brent Kay, the schools of the Orange-Southwest Supervisory Union have been run about as efficiently as schools can be, from what we’ve seen. Year after year, the budget increases at both the high school and elementary schools are among the smallest in the state, usually less than 50% of the average increase. As schools statewide have been increasing their budgets by 4% to 6%, OSSU schools have been going up by just 1% to 2%. This year it was 3%, but still shy of the statewide average of 4%.

The product, as well as the price, has been more than satisfactory. The elementary schools have generally been considered a draw to house-buyers in all three towns, and the Bronze rating accorded to RUHS by U.S. News & World Report in December turned a lot of heads. The Technical Career Center, too, seems bursting with new energy.

We would guess that as long as these two trends continue—lower than average increases and quality instruction—the lines at the voting booths won’t get much longer.

And, oh yes, full disclosure: The editor remembered at least three times to vote, but he forgot three times, too.