Election results: Good news, bad news

The latest election results were released late yesterday by the King County elections office. The Renton School District Education Operations levy gained more yes votes, placing the measure at 64.3 percent approved. The School Building bond also gained a few positive votes. The issue, however, is failing at only 58 percent approved.

With only a few more absentee votes yet to count, the final results will probably remain about the same as those posted yesterday. Meaning the levy will pass but the bond likely will not.

Superintendent Dolores Gibbons is discussing with board members what, if any, action should be taken. Options include running the bond again in April or waiting until next February to again place the issue before voters. One important aspect of that discussion is the district’s cost to run another election. School districts are responsible for the cost incurred by the state to run elections. Those cost, which are not part of the Renton Citizens for Schools Committee costs, can be $70,000 or more per election. The citizens committee, whose work is separate from district operations, runs a campaign to identify positive voters and encourage them to vote. The district is responsible for placing election measures on the ballot and informing all parents and community members of the measures.

More than 14,000 voters cast ballots in the election. Far more than the 8,400 needed to validate the issues.