August 16 is voter registration deadline

The deadline to become a registered voter and still be eligible to vote in the September 10 school bond election is fast approaching.

The voter registration deadline for the September 10 election is Friday, August 16. To be eligible, you must reside within the boundaries of the Bartlesville Public School District. If you are unsure if you reside within district boundaries, a boundary map is available.

To register, you can fill out a mail-in form at http://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/vrform.pdf. Forms are also available at the Washington County Election Board Office located in the Washington County Courthouse at 420 S. Johnstone Avenue in downtown

Bartlesville. Should you have any questions, you can reach the Washington County Election Board at 918-337-2850. All voter registration forms must be mailed to the Oklahoma State Election Board, P.O. Box 528800, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.

If you are eligible to vote through absentee ballot, the deadline to request a ballot is September 4 at 5 p.m. Absentee ballot applications are available at http://www.ok.gov/elections/Absentee_Voting/Absentee_Ballot_Applications/. Applications can be mailed to the Washington County Election Board, faxed to 918-337-2895 or delivered in person to the Washington County Election Board.

Regular voting for the school bond election will take place on Tuesday, September 10. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For direct links to registration forms, absentee ballots and other important election dates, please visit www.bruinbond.com.

At a total cost of $36.72 million, passage of the bond issue would result in NO tax rate increase. Under the proposal, the current high school facility would be expanded to house all 9-12 students. The square footage of BHS would increase to allow for the larger student population in grades 9-12. A freshman academy would be built to house all freshman core classes. The freshman academy would not be a standalone building; it would be built onto the southeast portion of the existing high school building.

Middle school students who currently attend Madison Middle School would be moved to the Bartlesville Mid-High School facility which would see upgrades and renovations. Central Middle School would see major renovations and continue to house middle school students. The current Madison Middle School would eventually be demolished under the bond resolution.

As part of the proposal, security upgrades would take place at all BPSD facilities. The upgrades include restricted visitor access through school offices, visitor sign-in kiosks, interior classroom door locks, an increased number of video cameras and improved public address systems.

Although not part of the September 2013 bond proposal, the district will continue working to formulate a plan for the construction of tornado shelters at each BPSD school site. A committee is currently being formed to explore the best plan for tornado shelters at BPSD schools.

Leading up to the election, www.bruinbond.com is a great source for information including architectural renderings, construction timeline, cost breakdown, frequently asked questions and supporting research among other information. Please check out The

Bruin as well, as it will have feature articles each week about the bond proposal.