Precinct results released for February 13 special election

With just two ballots estimated left to count in the county, the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office results for the February 13 special election showed local voters approving property tax levies for the Blaine school district and Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2), while the school bond failed to pass the supermajority threshold.

The Blaine school district put two funding propositions on the ballot: A replacement property tax levy that makes up roughly 17 percent of the district’s operating budget, and a capital bond to fund building renovations, among other projects.

The school levy will start collecting $0.98 per $1,000 in assessed home value in 2025, which will increase to $1.04 by 2028. The bond would have collected a flat, $0.76 per $1,000 rate through 2046.

In total, 58.2 percent of Blaine, Birch Bay and Point Roberts voters (3,322 votes) approved the levy, which will raise no more than $7.5 million for the district in 2025.

The school district bond had to clear a higher, 60 percent supermajority hurdle, and will miss that mark with 54.8 percent (3,175 votes) voting to approve the funding measure. In all but three of the 18 local precincts, a majority of voters approved the school district’s levy and bond, but it still wasn’t enough for the bond to reach the state-mandated supermajority. A majority of voters in precincts 108, 112 and 122 rejected both of the district’s funding requests.

BBBPRD2 garnered enough support for a new round of funding, with nearly 69 percent of voters (3,560 votes) approving the $0.10 per $1,000 property tax levy. A majority of voters in all 17 precincts approved the levy.

The auditor’s office’s next vote count is set for 5 p.m. Thursday, February 22 and the results will be certified Friday, February 23. Nearly 38 percent of Whatcom County voters turned out for the February 13 special election.