Narrow victories, and losses, in Eatonville after final vote tally counted

The final election results have been posted by Pierce County, leaving some narrow victories for local measures. 

Voters said yes to restore the Pierce County Library System’s funding, which was failing at first on Nov. 6. The majority of voters approved a levy lid lift with a 50.21 percent approval rate, with 106,844 voters casting yes votes.

“We are incredibly grateful to voters for believing in their public library,” Pierce County Library Executive Director Georgia Lomax stated in a news release. “This is a positive endorsement for the value the Library System brings to our communities. We thank the voters for their investment in the Library System.”

The restored levy will maintain library services and return the library’s levy rate to its full legal amount of $50 per $100,000 of assessed property value. This would be an increase of approximately $10 per $100,000 of assessed property. The restored levy takes effect in 2019.

The restored levy will maintain services including open hours at 20 locations and online library resources; 1.5 million books, e-books, movies and other materials; staff to support learning with thousands of classes and events; computers, Wi-Fi and technology; and community spaces, the news release stated.

“The voters’ approval is incredibly great news for our communities and the important services the Library System will continue,” said Lomax in the news release. “This is an exciting time as we continue our commitment to spark success for Pierce County and provide opportunities for learning, enjoyment and community!”

The Library’s Board of Trustees will conduct a special board meeting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the Pierce County Library’s Administrative Center and Library, 3005 112th St., Tacoma, to approve a levy certification with the voter-approved levy rate. 

The Bethel School District’s proposed construction bond failed to meet the supermajority requirement by the final vote tally. 

“Today, Bethel’s School Construction Bond was officially defeated 59.22 percent to 40.78 percent,” a district news release stated. “If only 307 of the “no” votes had been “yes” votes, the bond would have passed.”

From 2011 to 2017, 94 school districts in Washington failed to pass bonds even though they had more than 50 percent of the votes. Bethel had two bonds fail during that time, according to the new release.

“With that in mind, we have created a web page for voters to learn more about the state's 60 percent supermajority requirement,” the news release stated. “The page includes contact information for all the legislators serving our school district.”

In a very tight race, the town of Eatonville voted “yes” on recreational marijuana in an advisory vote to the Eatonville Town Council. 

The town was split with just a 10 vote difference. The “yes” votes won with 50.45 percent of the vote, or 556 votes, and “no” took 49.55 percent of the votes, or 546 votes. 

South Pierce County Fire and EMS had its two levy-lid lifts approved with another narrow race. 

The six-year levy lid lift for fire protection services passed with 50.54 percent of the vote, or 4,179 votes. The six-year levy lid lift for emergency medical services passed with 53.18 percent of the vote, 4,394 votes.