Excerpts:

WHETHER TO ADD flouride [sic] was another major issue in many communities.

Most of Nebraska’s population is served by public water systems that either have enough naturally occurring fluoride or that already add fluoride to water.

Voters in Pierce, Madison, Ainsworth, Schuyler and Battle Creek voted against adding fluoride to their municipal water systems, most by large margins.

Only in Wakefield and Wisner did voters approve it – by narrow totals.

Adding to the confusion was the different ways in which it was listed on ballots.

In some communities, the ballot language was such that a vote “for” was to prohibit fluoride while a vote “against” was against prohibiting it.

There currently are 64 communities with more than 1,000 people that don’t add fluoride or don’t have enough naturally occurring fluoride to meet standards.

The state is requiring communities to fluoridate drinking water by 2010 unless residents vote not to do it. Some communities, such as Norfolk, that do not fluoridate are expected to vote on it in 2009.

To try and reduce the confusion, the Daily News is reporting totals here in the form of adding fluoride instead of prohibiting it.

Pierce – For 210, Against 484; Madison – For 169, Against 447; Ainsworth – For 187, Against 589; Schuyler – For 329; Against 899; Battle Creek – For 146, Against 407; Wisner – For 265, Against 242; and Wakefield – For 198, Against 163.

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