Stevens Elementary bond issue lags by narrowest of margins

Elma stadium bond issue still trails also

After a second count of ballots on Friday, the bond issue to build a new Stevens Elementary School in Aberdeen is trailing by the narrowest of margins.

With an additional 458 ballots counted in that particular election on Friday, the Stevens bond — a proposal for a $46.8 million project to build a new school next to the 1950s-era school in South Aberdeen — is now 1,992 votes in favor and 1,333 votes against.

That’s 59.91% in favor — approximately seven votes short of the 60% it needs to pass.

After the first count on Tuesday, the approval rating was at 58.42%. There will be another — and likely final — count next Friday.

Meanwhile, a ballot proposal to fund a new stadium for Elma High School also is falling short of the needed 60% supermajority. That $5.53 million bond issue actually gained a little ground in Friday’s updated count.

There are 1,271 votes to approve the measure and 955 votes against it. That’s an approval rating of 57.1%, up from 56.8% in Tuesday’s initial count.

Also in the East County, the Oakville School District’s bond issue for renovation was passing with a 66.61% approval rate, up from 64% in Tuesday’s count.

Meantime, almost every district in Grays Harbor County that ran an excess property tax levy to pay for routine operational costs was passing its levy. Those require only a simple majority.

The one exception is in McCleary, where the measure is trailing by five votes — 301 in favor and 306 opposed.

Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Elma, Montesano, Satsop, McCleary, Ocosta, Oakville, Cosmopolis, Quinault, North Beach, Taholah and Wishkah all were passing as of Friday’s vote counting.