Sylvania Schools ramp up voter-contact efforts

About 100 people volunteer for another door-to-door effort

Levy committee member Adam Fineske speak to Sylvania Schools levy supporters at Southview High School in Sylvania before heading out for a door-to-door campaign effort.

With about a week left before Election Day on May 6, the Sylvania Schools district is pumping up efforts to get the word out on Issue 3, implementing efforts to reach voters directly about its levy request.

Early Saturday, volunteers canvassed the residential streets that feed into Southview High School. Brint Road is generally the dividing line between Southview and Northview High School.

“We have printed out 3,000 leaflets targeting supportive and undecided voters. Our goal is to remind them to get out to vote,” said Adam Fineske, curriculum director. And if they’re not home, he said, “We can hang it on their door.”

Another door-to-door effort for the homes in Northview territory, north of Brint Road, is planned for Saturday morning. About 100 people volunteered for that task.

Mr. Fineske is heading up “direct-voter-contact” efforts to remind voters to approve the school’s 3.8 mill continual-operating levy. The tax would assist with new curriculum costs, digital-learning efforts, the continuation of its safety and security measures, and personnel expenses. If passed, the new tax is estimated to collect $4.9 million a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 house $133 a year.

“If Issue 3 fails, additional belt-tightening will be needed. ... We would lose ground to other schools and communities,” Superintendent Brad Rieger said in an email.

The district’s direct voter outreach includes using a predictive dialing system that processes voter statistics, then automatically dials the target, supportive and undecided voters, Mr. Fineske said.

Thursday night was the last night of the 10-day phone bank. Mr. Fineske said callers, 10 per each night, were speaking to about 200 to 300 people a night, with a 65 percent levy approval. Volunteers answer questions and encourage the person to get out and vote, he said.

Voter outreach continues on Election Day. The district plans to have volunteers at 26 of the voting locations. Nearly 200 volunteers are sought to staff polls on two-hour shifts.

Contact Natalie Trusso Cafarello at: 419-206-0356, or ntrusso@theblade.com, or on Twitter @natalietrusso.