SEQUIM — A bond to fund a new elementary school and more classrooms in Sequim was failing in the initial count of ballots Tuesday night.
The Sequim School District’s proposed $49.5 million, 20-year bond received 6,691 yes votes to 5,026 no votes — a 57.11 percent to 42.89 percent margin.
A 60 percent majority is required for passage of a school bond measure.
“There are ballots left to be counted,” said a hopeful Brian Lewis, the district’s director of business services.
“Usually when there’s a 1- or 2-point differential between winning and losing, that can be made up with later-counted ballots. This is a little bit larger deficit than we’d normally see get to a win status, but there is a potential.”
The official results will be known when the election is certified Feb. 24, Lewis said.
In Clallam County, the total for the Sequim school bond was 6,617 yes to 4,959 no, or a 57.16 to 42.84 percentage.
In Jefferson County, 74 voted yes and 67 no for a percentage of 52.48 to 47.52.
“We’re close,” said John Bridge, one of five Sequim school board members. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do, but we can try to talk to people and find out why they voted no.”
Voters were asked to approve the bond to fund a new elementary school to replace Helen Haller, new classrooms at Greywolf
Elementary and Sequim High schools, and renovations to Sequim Community School.
The bond would cost an estimated 63 cents per $1,000 of property valuation, or $126 a year for the owner of a $200,000 home.
Last April, district voters rejected a $154 million construction bond.
District officials identified the most pressing needs for the school system to place on this year’s proposition.
Bridge said he was optimistic going into the election that the bond would garner a 60 percent yes vote.
“I thought it would pass because we reduced the amount by a third and we simplified it so it was easier to understand,” he said.
“We’ve talked to lots of people, reduced the amount. I’m not sure what else I can do.”
Bridge, Lewis and other district officials were assembled at the Clallam County Courthouse when the results were released.
Clallam County mailed 21,649 ballots and had 11,576 returned for a 53.5 percent turnout in the district.
In Jefferson County, 280 ballots were mailed and 141 returned for a 50.4 percent turnout.
The Clallam County Auditor’s Office processed all 21,128 ballots that had been received by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday while Jefferson County counted all ballots received by Tuesday morning.
The Clallam County Auditor’s Office counted Tuesday night 21,128 ballots out of 45,156 mailed to registered voters, for a voter turnout of 46.95 percent in special elections for five property tax measures.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office counted 9,738 ballots out of 20,135 mailed to registered voters, for a total election night turnout of 48.34 percent.
Clallam County Auditor Shoona Riggs expected about 500 more ballots countywide to come in during the week, while Betty Johnson,
Jefferson County elections coordinator, expected another 800 to 900 countywide.
The next scheduled counts will be Friday — by noon in Jefferson County and by 4:30 p.m. in Clallam County.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
