Evan Smith: Shoreline School M&O levy passes 70% approval

By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

The Shoreline School maintenance-and-operations levy was passing Thursday afternoon by a margin that passed 70 percent.

Shoreline School District Prop. 1., which would extend the levy last passed four years ago for another four years, had a "yes" vote of 70.09 percent compared to 69.06 percent Wednesday and 68.09 Tuesday.

The levy pays for more than 20 percent of the District's operating budget.

Passing the levy is easier than it was in 2006 because a 2007 amendment to the State constitution eliminated requirements of a 60 percent "yes" vote and a 40 percent voter turnout.

As of the 4:30 p.m. Thursday release of returns by the King County elections department, the total vote was 11,898 "yes" and 5,078 "no."

The voter turnout as of Thursday was 40.29 percent, far above the expected 35 percent countywide turnout.

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.

Votes still to be counted are either from overseas voters or from voters whose ballots were returned because of 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%