An operating referendum is a voter-approved property tax that supplements the state’s per-pupil funding for a public school district. In Indiana, communities use referendums to fund the difference between what the state provides and what local schools actually need to operate. For ZCS, 100% of operating referendum dollars go to teacher salaries and benefits — funding nearly one in three of our teachers, including every kindergarten teacher, every counselor, and every elementary art, music, and PE class. The Operating Referendum also funds world language, PLTW, and instructional coaches. This funding is critical because among all public school districts in the state, ZCS is the lowest funded on a per-pupil basis.

No. This is a renewal. Zionsville voters first approved an operating referendum in 2012, and we've renewed it twice — in 2015 and again in 2019. The current operating referendum expires in December 2027. We're being asked to renew it to maintain the teachers and programs that make ZCS one of the top districts in the state, keep class sizes small, and protect property values.

Absentee voting begins on Tuesday, October 6.Early voting begins Tuesday, October 24. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can vote at any open location in Boone County. View the early voting dates and election day locations at the Boone County Clerk's website.

The Indiana voter registration deadline is Monday, October 5, 2026. Check your registration or register in about two minutes at indianavoters.in.gov.