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the small schools are."
• The vote was about more than just size, however. Each of the 161 schools voting had their own reasons, some unique to them.
• For example, Harrisburg superintendent Jim Holbeck liked the part of the amendment shifting from three divisions to four. But Harrisburg voted no because of opposition to another clause guaranteeing one at-large spot to West River schools.
• "I don't think we've been underrepresented from West River, when most of our schools aren't from West River," Holbeck said. "If they would run it separate instead of two different things in the same amendment, we would vote for Sioux Falls and Rapid to have a delegate on the board."
• Rapid City voted against the reorganization even though it had signed a petition to bring it up for a vote. Mitchell said his school wanted to have the discussion regardless of how it felt about the issue.
• Wayne Carney, the activities association's executive director, said some schools voted against the reorganization because they're opposed to the association having a board with an even number of members. The board has had eight members for a decade.
• Other schools picked sides but didn't get their ballots in on time.
• "If you go to their school board minutes you'll note they did in fact vote, but for whatever reason the ballots weren't sent in or were sent in late," Carney said
• For example, Oldham-Ramona's May 12 school board minutes show the board approving its activities association ballot. But it wasn't among the 161 schools to vote on time.
• "We did not get that mailed off," said Tom Ludens, Oldham-Ramona's superintendent.
• Ludens said Oldham-Ramona would have voted yes on the reorganization -- potentially making the difference between victory and defeat.
• The activities association ballot count showed 97 in favor and 65 against, which put the reorganization a single vote from the needed 60 percent threshold. An Argus Leader review of the ballots found 95 in favor and 66 against, needing four extra yes votes or two switched votes to pass.
• Ludens said the closeness of the ballot didn't make him especially remorseful for his district not turning in its ballot.
• "That's going to happen when you have, what, 180 schools?" Ludens said.
• The activities association votes by mail: each school fills out a ballot, which has to be signed by the superintendent and the school board president, then mails it to the activities association in Pierre. To count, it has to be postmarked by the dead

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