Opponents of Propositions 1, 2 and 3 raised $3.6 million in their successful effort to repeal education reforms in the Nov. 6 election. Opponents raised $2.8 million. The great bulk of the money was spent on advertising.

The $6.4 million total beats the $3.967 million spent in the 1986 referendum campaign that affirmed passage of right-to-work. Those 1986 dollars are equal to $8.4 million in 2012.

The school reforms on the November 2012 ballot were championed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and Gov. Butch Otter and backed by most Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

But 57 percent of voters opposed the restrictions on unions and teacher tenure in Prop 1; 58 percent opposed merit bonuses in Prop 2; and 67 percent opposed the laptop and online mandate in Prop 3.

The latest finance reports cover Oct. 22 to Nov. 16.

Opponents relied almost entirely on the National Education Association and Idaho Education Association, which provided $3,467,590 of the $3,615,788 raised. NEA spent $2,822,407; IEA, $645,183. Together, the teachers unions provided 96 percent of the funding for the two opposition groups, Vote No on Props 1, 2, 3 and Idaho Republicans for Our Schools.

Proponents raised $2,260,368 for four committees: Yes for Idaho Education ($1,087,647), the Idaho Federation of Republican Women ($430,451) and two affiliated committees, Parents for Education Reform ($501,360) and Education Voters of Idaho ($240,910). Education Voters of Idaho largely funded Parents for Education Reform; figures are net.

An independent “yes” campaign by Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot added $525,724. VanderSloot gave $643,481 to Yes for Idaho Education and $428,000 to the Republican Women.

Altogether, VanderSloot spent $1.6 million, about 57 percent of the “yes” total, including 47 percent of the money raised by the two committees.

Dan Popkey: 377-6438, Twitter: @IDS_politics