Did a huge voter push help a Pasco school levy? What we know
With just hours left before drop boxes close, one-quarter of registered voters in the Pasco School District have weighed in on a levy that will shape services for 19,000 students.
The district hopes to renew its educational programs and operations levy on the April 28 special election ballot.
The four-year, $154 million measure would pay for athletics and extracurriculars, music and the arts, school counselors, school resource officers and other programs.
About 26% of voters have returned their ballots, according to early Monday evening statistics posted by the Washington Secretary of State. That’s about 11,900 of the 45,000 voters living in the district.
It’s already higher turnout than the final 24% Pasco saw during the Feb. 10 special election. That measure failed by just 60 votes — 49.73% in favor and 50.27% opposed.
Turnout for this election could reach the highest of any Pasco school levy election in a decade. In 2016, turnout for the school’s levy reached 30%.
Election officials scan ballots as they receive them, but do not tabulate them until election night.
About 200 of the 11,900 ballots that have been returned were “challenged” either for a mismatched signature or because the voter did not sign the ballot.
Voters who have submitted their ballot can check online to see if it’s been accepted at vote.wa.gov, and can call the Franklin County Elections Department at 509-545-3502 to correct any issues.
The deadline for Pasco voters to turn their ballot into a county certified drop box is 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Voters can update their registration or file paperwork to vote for the first time in-person up until 8 p.m. on election day at the Franklin County Auditor’s Office, located at the courthouse at 1016 North 4th Ave.
