Voters will decide today whether the makeup of the Albert Lea School Board will change.

Adding a seventh board member is on the general election ballot.

The Albert Lea School Board approved submitting the ballot question by a 4-2 vote in July.

If approved by voters, the seat would be added to the 2018 November election.

The board discussed adding a board member last year, but did not take action on it because of the cost that would have been incurred in a special election year.

Board Chairman Mark Ciota said both sides of the issue make good points.

“It’s good the community gets to decide, and for every point someone will make that seven is better than six, someone will make that six is better than seven,” Ciota said. “So, I don’t think there is a right answer.”

Ciota said he does not like ties, which can happen on a six-member board.

Superintendent Mike Funk said the benefit of adding the seventh board member is that tie votes are eliminated.

“A lot of districts our size have one, so I think that’s probably why the board is looking at it,” Funk said.

The school board election is also today. Ten candidates are competing for three open seats: Sonjia Hill, Cynthia Gail, Ken Petersen, Aaron Phillips, Kendall Langseth, Ellen Kehr, Angie Hanson, Joseph Ferguson, Neal Skaar and incumbent Julie Johnson.