Woodland Public Schools’ replacement levy appears to still be failing by the slimmest of margins, now behind by just 32 votes, 1,990 to 2,022. The measure requires a simple majority to pass.
Cowlitz County, where the vast majority of the district lies, tallied another 148 votes Friday. The county will conduct just one more ballot count on May 4 prior to the May 5 certification. Just a few dozen votes are left to be counted between remaining mail-ins and ballots challenged due to signature issues or ballot damage. Voters are encouraged to check the status of their ballots to see whether they’ve been challenged in order to cure them before the election is certified. With such a tight race, ballot curing could prove to be critical.
If passed, the measure would generate $18.77 million over three years at an estimated rate of $1.91 per $1,000 assessed property value. It would replace the district’s existing operations levy when it expires at the end of this year. A double failure would force the district to make an estimated $3 million in cuts for 2024, primarily to support staffing and student extracurricular programs.
Voters in both Clark and Cowlitz counties can check the status of their ballots here: https://voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx.
