Latest vote count boosts St. John levies to passing

With another count completed by the Whitman County elections office, two levies have moved above the 60 percent passing threshold.

Both of the levies were in St. John, the first being a street maintenance levy that is now passing with 166 yes votes (61 percent) and 104 no votes (39 percent). The second levy, for sewer maintenance, is now passing with 168 yes (62 percent) and 103 no (38 percent).

The St. John levies were previously failing at 58.77 percent and 59.39 percent, respectively.

In the latest count, the elections department tabulated 2,696 more ballots to bring the total to 15,997 counted for a voter turnout of 73.96 percent. An estimated 1,200 ballots remained to be counted. The department was expected to tabulate those ballots by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, which was past press time.

Tekoa’s $50,000 street levy, which was passing at 62 percent on election night and then dropped below the mark in subsequent counts, has now moved within four votes of the 60 percent approval. The levy now stands at 59.49 percent. Tekoa was the lone levy that went from passing on election night to failing when more ballots were tabulated.

Garfield’s $10,000 street levy remains at 53 percent from last week with 26 more yes votes and 19 more no votes. It stood at 55 percent approval on election night.

Fire protection district #4 is also still facing a failing levy for emergency medical services, with 118 yes votes (55 percent) and 98 no votes (45 percent).

Colfax’s metropolitan park district proposal has gained ground since last week, but it is still falling below 60 percent. One hundred votes separate the yes and no, with 669 voting yes (54 percent) and 569 voting no (46 percent).

Election certification date is Tuesday, Nov. 29.