Darlington County School District — Board of Education Bond Referendum

What it does

Shall the Darlington County Board of Education, South Carolina, be authorized to issue and sell, either at one time as a single issue or from time to time as several separate issues, general obligation bonds of School District of Darlington County, South Carolina, in the total principal amount of not to exceed $250,000,000, the proceeds of which shall be applied to defray costs of issuance of such bonds and the costs of acquiring, constructing, furnishing, and equipping, including, without limitation, the purchase of real property: a) a new Hartsville High School; b) a new Spaulding Middle School; c) a new Darlington Elementary School; d) upgrades to various schools and other School District facilities including, without limitation, safety and security upgrades; and e) to the extent proceeds of such general obligation bonds remain available and in such priority as determined by the Darlington County Board of Education, South Carolina, renovation, repairing, expanding, equipping, and furnishing or other facilities of the School District, all of such costs to include the cost of acquiring, constructing, furnishing, and equipping such projects, including without limitation the cost of technology improvements, and the costs of acquiring any real property that may be necessary for the completion of any project, and in such order of priority as may be determined by the Darlington County Board of Education, South Carolina, from time to time?

A YES vote means

Darlington County School District could issue up to $250,000,000 in bonds for a new Hartsville High School, Spaulding Middle School and Darlington Elementary School, plus safety and other upgrades across the district.

A NO vote means

The school district would not issue these $250,000,000 in bonds.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

According to the Darlington County School District, the Board of Education proposed three new schools based on its 2024 Facilities Study and community input: a new Hartsville High School, a new Spaulding Middle School in Lamar, and a combined K-5 elementary school in Darlington.

The district says it serves nearly 9,000 students in 20 schools and facilities, many built in the 1950s–1970s, with some more than 75 years old.

The referendum would authorize borrowing up to $250 million. The district projects it can repay the debt without raising its current debt service tax rate, and says it will keep operating existing facilities if the measure fails.

Put on the ballot by Darlington County Board of Education.

From official source.

Next elections here

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Darlington County School District mean?

Darlington County School District could issue up to $250,000,000 in bonds for a new Hartsville High School, Spaulding Middle School and Darlington Elementary School, plus safety and other upgrades across the district.

What does a NO vote on Darlington County School District mean?

The school district would not issue these $250,000,000 in bonds.

How many votes does Darlington County School District need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Darlington County School District?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.