Voters in the Southern Door County School District rejected an operational referendum in Tuesday’s election by a vote of 2,031 to 1,603.

The referendum asked residents to allow the district to exceed the state revenue limit by $3.15 million annually for three years. District officials said the additional funding would support day-to-day operations and address emerging needs, including maintaining programs and services.

The vote comes as the district’s current operating referendum is set to expire in June 2026, creating a potential funding gap moving forward.

School leaders had warned that without approval, the district could face financial challenges tied to ongoing operational costs. Operating referendums are commonly used by Wisconsin school districts to exceed state-imposed revenue limits and sustain staffing, programming and other expenses not covered by base funding.

Southern Door has a history of mixed results with referendums, with similar operational measures failing in past elections.

Final results were reported shortly after polls closed Tuesday night.