Evan Smith: All three school measures continue to increase margins

By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

All three Shoreline School District ballot measures showed increased support in the Thursday vote count.

The maintenance-and-operations levy and the technology levy both increased their overwhelming passing margins, and the construction bond measure widened its margin over the required 60 percent approval rate.

The vote for the measure to approve construction bonds to rebuild the District’s two high schools increased from 60.83 percent Tuesday night and 61.50 percent Wednesday to 62.21 percent Thursday. The bond measure needs a 60 percent approval rate to pass. The measure has already exceeded the number of votes needed to validate the election.

The District’s maintenance-and-operations levy, which can pass with a simple majority, increased its “yes“ vote from 68.09 Tuesday and 69.06 percent Wednesday to 70.09 percent Thursday.

The technology levy, which also can pass with a simple majority, increased its portion of “yes“ votes from 64.37 percent Tuesday and 65.08 percent Wednesday to 65.81 percent Thursday.

Voter turnout of 40.29 percent in the Shoreline School District through Thursday afternoon had already exceeded the expected countywide turnout of 35 percent.

Ballots included in the Thursday count were generally those received by Wednesday, meaning that they had to be mailed or dropped off by Tuesday.

The next vote count is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday. The elections department will continue to count votes until final certification, Wednesday, February 24.

Most votes, however, are already counted.

Remaining ballots probably are either from Americans voting from outside the country or ballots returned to voters to correct missing or invalid signatures.

The vote count as of Thursday afternoon:

	SHORELINE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 412
	Ballots Cast/Registered Voters:										17,063	/	42.352	40.29%
Proposition No. 1 Replacement of Expiring Levy for Educational Programs, Maintenance and
Operations
	YES			11,898				70.09%
	NO			5,078				29.91%
Proposition No. 2 Bonds for Modernization/Replacement of Shorecrest and Shorewood High
Schools
	APPROVED						10.116			62.21%
	REJECTED						6,145			37.79%
Proposition No. 3 Capital Levy for Technology Improvements and Support
	YES				10,733				65.81%
	NO				5,576				34.19%