Ki-Be, Finley Levies And Richland Performing Arts Center Failing

Benton County has tallied 10,510 ballots so far, with about 5,500 left to go in several special elections.

   Voters in Finley, Kiona-Benton Districts and Richland voted

There are still nearly a third of votes cast to be counted, and the levies could still rebound.  Remember, not all of the over 15,000 votes apply to all areas. Ki-Be and Finley voters only cast for their own elections in their Districts, and only Richland voters were deciding on the performance center that would be built near the Reach Museum.

Finley voters were deciding on 2 levies, Propositions 1 and 2.  One was an operational levy, the second one a capital improvement levy for security, tech, and safety.

With early vote totals in, both were trailing. Proposition 1 was down 59 percent to 44, with a total of 579 votes tallied.  Proposition 2 is trailing 56 to 43 percent with 582 votes cast.

The Kiona-Benton school levy was failing, but closely by a margin of 52-47 precent, with 1,102 votes counted so far.

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There could be movement in these levies, with 5,500 votes left, but it appears Richland voters were decidedly defeating the Richland Public Facilities District Proposition to build a performing arts center near the Reach Museum.

With 8.815 votes counted so far, the proposal is trailing 63 to 36 percent, or by over 3,300 votes.

  In other levy news, a big sigh of relief in Grant County, where Moses Lake voters appear to be passing their operations levy by a margin of 58 to 41 percent, leading by  about 1,800 votes.  Ephrata was also passing its levy by a wide margin.  Grand Coulee's levy was closely passing, and both Odessa School levies passing widely as well.  But Wahluke's levy was narrowly failing.

 In Walla Walla County, levies for the Touchet and Prescott schools were passing, although the margins are close.

Another ballot drop or update is expected sometime Wednesday afternoon.