Racine Unified School District superintendent Dennis McGoldrick, shown in a 1998 file photo during a labor standoff with the teachers' union, vowed to resign if the school referendum passed and the district did not deliver on its promises to improve education. Photo by Mark Hertzberg (c) 1998 Racine Journal Times

About a dozen students, most of them from Walden III Middle and High School, protest across from the headquarters of Johnson Wax Tuesday March 9, 1999 in support of the proposed referendum for the Racine Unified School District. The company president said he reluctantly opposed the referendum in a speech to the business community. Photo by Mark Hertzberg (c) 1999 Racine Journal Times

The community responded emotionally. There were perhaps more letters to the editor about the referendum after the speech than on any issue in recent memory. Some teachers blamed the newspaper for its prominent display of the story about the speech. One evening, Walden students stood in the cold and snow, and picketed in favor of the referendum outside Johnson Wax's headquarters.

We had three elections to cover live with photos last night, so I cut my stay-at-home vacation short to help out. I was at district headquarters to cover the referendum, while Jim Slosiarek and Liana Cooper covered the mayoral candidates . Some people may think I should have covered anything but the referendum last night because of my personal interest in the race. Last year I had gained the trust of both the administration and the union and was able to shoot behind the scenes during a school sick-out by the union and subsequent teacher lock-out. I hoped for similar access election night.

.We converted from afternoon to morning publication 12 years ago. The biggest drawback of that for a photographer was the impact on election coverage. Some of the best election reaction photos are shot at 1 in the morning. Now we have to have our photos to the desk editors by 10:45 p.m., and we are usually shooting to fit a predetermined space on the page. Last night I knew I could only shoot a vertical or square photo.

City Clerk Karen Norton shows Neal and Joyce Kueny, (cq) left and center, where to cast their absentee ballots Tuesday March 30, 1999 at Racine City Hall while another voter waits her turn. More people had cast absentee ballots at the office than had at the same point (eight days before the election) in the 1996 presidential election. Photo by Mark Hertzberg (c) 1999 Racine Journal Times

I felt a twinge of sadness for her, for myself, and for Cindy and her students, when Flashinski realized there was no more hope for the referendum. She turned and hugged a supporter (a photo that I shot, but which didn't fit the layout) and I headed back to the office with my film.

The election turnout? It was shamefully low for the election, but that's what we've come to expect. The referendum was defeated 15,203 - 13,880, with only 31.45% of eligible voters turning out to vote.