After initial election results came in on Tuesday night, the levy for the Woodland Public Schools district was failing with only about 43.2% of voters in favor of the measure.
Shortly after 8 p.m. tonight, Clark and Cowlitz counties released the first set of numbers for the February ballot measure. The replacement levy garnered 1,131 votes in favor and 1,485 ballots against it after the first count.
If approved, the new educational programs and operations levy would have an estimated rate of $1.91 per $1,000 of assessed value, lower than the current rate of $2.10 per $1,000 of assessed value. The levy accounts for about 12% of the district’s operating budget, largely funding classified staff, school safety and maintenance.
The levy received more proportional support on the Clark County side of the district, which had six more votes in favor of the measure after the first count, or 156 in support to 150 against. The more populous Cowlitz County side of Woodland Public Schools had 360 more votes against the levy than for it.
Subsequent ballot counts could change the result.
Clark County Elections estimates 17,000 ballots are left to count countywide, which also includes measures in Vancouver and Washougal. Cowlitz County’s elections department did not have an estimate on its ballots left to count, but the county’s next tally is set to take place by 5 p.m. on Thursday.
