Marathon CSD budget vote and board election: what to know

Marathon Central School District voters will head to the polls next week for the statewide annual school vote. On the ballot are the district’s proposed 2026–27 operating budget and two open seats on the Board of Education. Voting will take place at Marathon High School. State law sets the vote on the third Tuesday in May; this year that falls next Tuesday.

The proposed budget outlines spending plans for instruction, transportation, operations, and support services for the coming school year. The district has prepared a detailed budget book and a summary newsletter to help residents understand the plan, including information about revenues, the tax levy, and program impacts. According to district notices, those materials are posted on the district website; printed copies are available on request from the district office.

Three Board of Education seats are up this year. Voters will select three candidates, and the top vote-getters will fill the open seats for terms that begin in July. Candidate names and biographies are posted by the district. A meet-the-candidates Q&A will be held this week; organizers said a recording and written responses will be made available online on the Board of Education page for those who could not attend.

Polls will be located at Marathon High School. The district’s legal notice lists polling hours and accessibility information; residents are encouraged to review that notice or the district website before heading out. Directional signs are typically placed on campus to guide voters to the correct entrance.

To be eligible to vote, residents must meet state requirements, including age and residency. The district’s notice explains voter registration details and how to verify that you are on the voter list. Absentee and early mail ballots are available through the district clerk in accordance with state law; deadlines for requesting and returning ballots are included in the district’s published materials.

Residents looking for more information can find the full budget book, a plain-language summary, and the meet-the-candidates materials on the Marathon CSD website under the Budget and Board of Education sections. The district office can also answer questions about the vote, ballots, and voter eligibility.

As always, community participation matters. Whether you have a student in the schools now or simply care about the future of our village, taking a few minutes to review the materials and cast a ballot helps shape the year ahead for students and staff from Appleby through graduation at the high school.

Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).