School levy squeaking by so far

The school levy was barely passing Tuesday night by a margin of just 1.38% of the 866 votes counted so far.

The measure, which asked to replace the Grand Coulee Dam School District's current levies with one at half the combined rate of expiring levies, had slipped into the fail bracket by the slimmest of margins, two to five votes, in each of the four counties involved except Douglas, where it held a 23-vote favorable margin.

Ballots could be postmarked by Tuesday, or inserted in a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. to be counted later, and county auditors' offices had more of already-received ballots yet to count before closing up Tuesday night.

Election officials in the four counties estimated they still had a combined 21,650 uncounted ballots on hand in Grant, Okanogan, Lincoln, and Douglas counties. They were scheduled to resume the count on Wednesday or Thursday this week, depending on each county auditor's office.

If it passes, the levy will impose about $2 per thousand dollars of assessed value on property in the district. The levies that are expiring are taking about $4.20 per thousand.