Residents Tuesday voted 671-644 — a 27-vote margin — against a ballot question that would have effectively ended school choice July 1, 2009.

The item was placed on the ballot as the result of a citizen’s petition that circulated after the School Committee voted this summer to preserve school choice. Former committee member Ralph Burgess organized the petition. He said he did not think committee members should make the school choice decision for the town.

School choice has long been an issue for local consolidation planners.

Orland is partnering with Bucksport, Verona Island and Prospect in consolidation planning. None of the other communities offers school choice.

The current regionalization plan calls for 65 percent of Orland high school students to attend Bucksport High School or Orland will pay the difference. The wording is the same as an existing contract between the two towns.

More than 70 percent of Orland students now attend Bucksport. School choice opponents argued that if that number changed and fewer than 65 percent of students attended BHS, Orland would have to pay double for some students.

School choice supporters made the case that students deserved the right to choose the high school they want to attend. Some parents have stated that they moved to Orland so their children would have choice.

A second ballot article, which would have “grandfathered” tuition and transportation arrangements for Orland students already attending high schools other than Bucksport, was based on the first article receiving a favorable vote. Since the school choice article was voted down, the second article became irrelevant.

The vote was 828 for the second article and 452 against.