While the auditor’s office counted 400 additional ballots, updated tallies released Thursday afternoon did not change the initial results for the 13 measures on the February special election ballot.
With only an estimated five ballots left to count in Lewis County, most measures passed, with the exception of a Toledo school levy and a request for bond passage in the Rochester School District.
Updated results included ballots from 12,826 of Lewis County’s 33,815 registered voters, a turnout rate of 37.93%. Election results will be certified by the county at 9 a.m. on Feb. 23. The next count is 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22.
The special election included 11 school districts and local municipalities looking to pass capital bonds or levies. In Washington state, levies need a simple majority of voters to pass, while bonds require 60% approval.
To see the full results, visit https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20240213/lewis/.
Here are the updated results, as of 4:32 p.m. Thursday:
• The combined totals between Lewis and Thurston counties for the Centralia School District replacement levy show the measure passed with 3,186 votes, 55.81% of the total, and 2,523, or 44.19%, votes against.
• The Chehalis School District replacement levy passed with 1,953 votes, or 55.34% of the total vote, compared to 1,576, or 44.66%, against it. The replacement levy for educational programs and operations would raise $6,965,000 in 2025, $7,131,250 in 2026, $7,605,780 in 2027 and $7,833,953 in 2028. The district estimates the levy would cost $1.97 in 2025, $1.95 in 2026, $1.94 in 2027 and $1.92 in 2028 per $1,000 in assessed value.
• The Boistfort School District’s levy passed with 196 yes votes and 95 no votes, an approval rate of 67.35%. The replacement educational programs and operations levy would raise $250,000 in 2025 and 2026.
• The Castle Rock School District’s levy passed with 1,454 yes votes and 1,232 no votes between Lewis and Cowlitz counties, an approval rate of 54.13%. The capital projects levy will raise $830,000 in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
• The Eatonville School District’s replacement educational programs and operations levy passed with 2,003 yes votes and 1,449 no votes between Lewis and Pierce counties, an approval rate of 58.02%. The levy will raise $6,273,767 in 2025, $6,581,917 in 2026, $6,905,475 in 2027 and $7,245,211 in 2028.
• Additionally, the Eatonville School District passed a capital projects levy that will raise $1,376,940 in 2025, $1,444,583 in 2026, $1,515,608 in 2027, $1,590,184 in 2028, $1,668,489 in 2029 and $1,750,709 in 2030. The levy received 1,973 yes votes and 1,475 no votes, an approval rate of 57.22%.
• The Morton School District’s levy received 507 yes votes and 325 no votes, an approval rate of 60.94%. The replacement educational programs and operations levy will raise $1,250,000 in 2025, $1,385,000 in 2026, $1,520,000 in 2027 and $1,655,000 in 2028.
• Additionally, the Morton School District narrowly passed a construction bond, which will raise $14 million through bonds that mature within 21 years. The bond received 523 yes votes and 335 no votes, an approval rate of 60.96%
• The Oakville School District’s levy passed with 277 yes votes and 226 no votes between Lewis and Grays Harbor counties, an approval rate of 55.29%. The replacement educational programs and operations levy will raise $803,704 in 2025, $884,074 in 2026, $972,482 in 2027 and $1,069,730 in 2028.
• The Pe Ell District passed a construction bond to renovate and improve school facilities through $1.9 million in bonds that mature within 20 years. The bond received 321 yes votes and 177 no votes, an approval rate of 64.46%.
• The Rochester School District passed an educational programs and operations replacement levy to raise $5,513,424 in 2025, $5,886,159 in 2026, $6,189,745 in 2027 and $6,400,128 in 2028. The levy received 2,337 yes votes and 1,515 no votes between Grays Harbor, Lewis and Thurston counties, an approval rate of 60.7%.
• The district’s $89 million bond was not as successful. The proposal received 2,035 yes votes and 1,833 no votes, an approval rate of 52.6%. Bonds require 60 percent approval to pass in Washington.
• The Toledo School District’s levy failed with 654 yes votes and 886 no votes, an approval rate of 42.5%. The replacement educational programs and operations levy would raise $1,640,000 in 2025, $1,780,000 in 2026 and $1,930,000 in 2027.
• Lewis County Fire District No. 2’s levy passed with 754 yes votes and 655 no votes, an approval rate of 53.5%. The property tax levy would establish the regular property tax levy rate at $1.25 per $1,000 in assessed value to be assessed in 2024, and collected in 2025.
