Schools might get simple majority after all
Here in Washington State, there was a ballot issue called 4204. Simply put, school district levy elections (to pay for operations and property maintenance) would pass with a simple majority (50 percent + 1) instead of a super majority (60 percent). In the past few years, many Washington school districts have had their levy elections pass the simple majority test but fall short of 60 percent.
On Election Day, results were tabulated across the state, and it appeared that 4204 was going down (roughly 48 percent to 52 percent). But a last-minute get-out-the-vote surge, continuing at this moment, seems to bring the election into the “too close to call” range (see the Secretary of State’s Web page for 4204). As you can see, only 2,620 votes separate the schools from a win here.
With more than 178,000 votes left to count, 58,000 of them in King County (where there’s a 50-percent approval rating) it doesn’t take a statistician to see where this is going.
Yes, Election Day is like the Super Bowl for journalists (well, except sports journalists). I’ve always loved the excitement of it. But here in Washington the results can trickle in until several days after Election Day, because you’re only required to have your ballot postmarked by then.