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Your guide to Hickman Mills, Center, NKC school board races, candidate forums, Grandview bond issue

Photo by Emily Curiel, The Kansas City Star

Get ready. Election day arrives April 2.

While much of the attention is on the future of Kansas City’s pro sports stadiums, several area school boards are holding contested elections and a bond issue as well.

Hickman Mills, Center and North Kansas City will be holding key school board elections. The Grandview School District is asking voters to approve a $50 million bond issue for renovations across the district. Voting yes on the Grandview bond would extend and not raise the current tax rate.

Vote 411

The Vote 411 website has made it easy to see what’s on your ballot and read about the candidates and issues.

And the local League of Women Voters is providing links to more information, including virtual candidate forums in the school board races.

See what’s on your ballot:

After entering your address and selecting the local school board race, the site links to candidate questionnaires

Virtual Candidate Forums:

In Hickman Mills, five candidates have filed for the two full-term seats on the ballot. Two candidates are competing for an open one-year-term seat.

In North Kansas City, seven candidates are vying for three open full-term seats, while two have filed to fill an open one-year term seat.

Center has three candidates vying for two open seats on its school board.

Two candidates have filed for the two seats that are open in an uncontested race in Grandview. The district has provided information on its plans if the bond issue passes on its website.

On the sports stadiums issue, Jackson County voters will decide Question 1, which asks residents to repeal the current 3/8% sales tax for Truman Sports Complex maintenance and improvements with a new 3/8% tax that would extend for a period of 40 years. The extended tax years would finance a new stadium for the Royals and provide for enhanced improvements for Arrowhead Stadium.

View a summary of arguments for and against the tax measure at Ballotpedia.