Dozens of Minnesota schools turned to taxpayers for more money. Some may have to ask again.

About half of the 45 Minnesota school districts seeking more taxpayer funding won voter approval Tuesday, with most successful questions asking about renewed or increased “tech levies” to fund technology upgrades for teaching and security measures.

General operating levies — meant to help cover a district’s ongoing, day-to-day expenses — didn’t fare as well. Just 11 of the 28 operating levies on Tuesday’s ballot earned voter support. Many of those wins were in the metro area.

None of the operating levies put to voters were renewals, meaning each one on the ballot represented a tax increase.

“I think the public’s perception of the economy had a big impact on our school district levy requests,” said Kirk Schneidawind, the executive director of the Minnesota School Boards Association.

Among the biggest tech levy victories: Minneapolis voters overwhelmingly backed a $20 million a year levy increase. That money will go toward technology upgrades, the district said, but it is also a strategic move to free up spending for general operations and minimize cuts to other programs and services.

“This is one important step in addressing our ongoing budget issues, and it is a major commitment to our students and investment in our schools,” Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams said in a social media post on Wednesday.

Voters in Brooklyn Center, Shakopee, Burnsville and Robbinsdale also passed tech levies.

Rochester voters supported an operating levy that will bring $194 million in new funding over the next 10 years and save the district from making major budget cuts. It was the second attempt at a new tax levy in as many years after a referendum for nearly half this year’s request failed in 2023 by just over 300 votes.

Seven of the 13 districts with bond questions on the ballot secured voter approval.

In Northfield, voters approved all three questions, adding up to $121 million for upgrades, renovations and an addition to Northfield High School.

“These high school facility improvements will positively benefit our students, educators, and the community as a whole,” Northfield Superintendent Matt Hillmann said in a statement Wednesday.

Hillman also thanked Carleton College for its pledge to give $2 million to the projects if voters approved the measures.

Two other requests for new schools failed. Voters in Blue Earth Area School District decided against a $66.8 million levy for a new elementary school. In Fergus Falls, most voters said no to a $48.8 million levy for a new school for grades 3-5.

“We do not have the annual operating revenue necessary to maintain our aging facilities,” said Fergus Falls Superintendent Jeff Drake, adding that the district will “continue to explore options to address our facilities challenges.”

It’s challenging for districts to reach voters about school issues in a presidential election year, Schneidawind said. More voters turn out, but they may not know much about the questions on their ballot.

“I think if people are confused, they go for the red button and vote no,” he said.

Schneidawind said messaging might also be harder after the DFL-controlled Legislature in 2023 approved a sweeping education bill that gave schools more than $2 billion for new spending. Voters may not understand that much of the money was earmarked for specific programs, including free school meals. Enrollment declines, inflation and the end of pandemic relief funds have many districts eyeing cuts.

For districts with failed referendums, the next step is to evaluate other budget options and whether to try to bring similar requests to voters next year.