The votes are in, but Pierce Co.'s Prop 1 still too close to call
TACOMA, Wash. -- More than a week after the election, a measure to save Pierce County bus service is still too close to call.
New numbers released Friday evening show the "reject Prop 1" side leads by just 695 votes.
With the vote so close, officials from the elections office worked all day to make sure each and every vote -- especially the questionable ones -- were straightened out and counted.
Going into Friday, the measure -- which would raise local sales tax -- was trailing by 34/100 of one percent. And with only 400 more votes counted on Friday, it looks like the proposition will be defeated.
Pierce Transit asked voters to pitch in 3 cents for every $10 spent for a new tax that would keep buses rolling at night and on weekends.
The three-member canvassing board is pouring over 400 ballots that were filled out incorrectly, trying to figure out what the voter meant.
"It is very serious. We have a whole bunch of ballots and people have filled them out very creatively," said board member Dan Roach.
Not every vote can be deciphered, and some ballots were cast without recording a vote on the issue. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes to figure out a single ballot.
"We're just working hard, making sure we make every vote count," Roach said.
Taking it all in is Syl Pelesasa, a bus driver who's spent 24 years with Pierce Transit.
"We're down some votes and it doesn't look very good, but you want to cross all of your t's and dot all of your i's," she said.
Pelesasa is among the public citizens who are watching the canvassing board do its work. Even though her measure is going down in defeat, she feels good about the process.
"I like what I see, and I feel confident in the process here," she said.
The county auditor said a few more ballots may still come in from overseas service members, but all the ballots they have have now been counted.
"So, nothing is absolute, but we're pretty much done with this election," said Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson.
A recount on the measure is available if at least five people call for it, but that would cost $200,000. No one has stepped up just yet asking for the recount.
New numbers released Friday evening show the "reject Prop 1" side leads by just 695 votes.
With the vote so close, officials from the elections office worked all day to make sure each and every vote -- especially the questionable ones -- were straightened out and counted.
Going into Friday, the measure -- which would raise local sales tax -- was trailing by 34/100 of one percent. And with only 400 more votes counted on Friday, it looks like the proposition will be defeated.
Pierce Transit asked voters to pitch in 3 cents for every $10 spent for a new tax that would keep buses rolling at night and on weekends.
The three-member canvassing board is pouring over 400 ballots that were filled out incorrectly, trying to figure out what the voter meant.
"It is very serious. We have a whole bunch of ballots and people have filled them out very creatively," said board member Dan Roach.
Not every vote can be deciphered, and some ballots were cast without recording a vote on the issue. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes to figure out a single ballot.
"We're just working hard, making sure we make every vote count," Roach said.
Taking it all in is Syl Pelesasa, a bus driver who's spent 24 years with Pierce Transit.
"We're down some votes and it doesn't look very good, but you want to cross all of your t's and dot all of your i's," she said.
Pelesasa is among the public citizens who are watching the canvassing board do its work. Even though her measure is going down in defeat, she feels good about the process.
"I like what I see, and I feel confident in the process here," she said.
The county auditor said a few more ballots may still come in from overseas service members, but all the ballots they have have now been counted.
"So, nothing is absolute, but we're pretty much done with this election," said Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson.
A recount on the measure is available if at least five people call for it, but that would cost $200,000. No one has stepped up just yet asking for the recount.
Yes! I hope it gets defeated. I am so tired of MY taxes being raised for programs I don't even use. I am not giving one more cent to that money pit called Pierce Transit. Where I live they don't even have buses that run to a majority of the town and never have! You need more money then charge the passengers that USE public transportation.
 @Tattooed_Angel Seriously. I have to pay for police, fire departments, and schools? I've never been robbed, my house isn't on fire, and I've already graduated! How unfair it is that my tax dollars go toward such socialist services! Obviously things would work better if police only helped those who chip in.
 @Shabadoo  @Tattooed_Angel see how safe you will be with out the cop and for the rest of try apples to apples
@Shabadoo @Tattooed_Angel You are talking about vital services in your comparison, buses are a convenience and even though people rely on them that doesn't change their status in comparison.
Good lord, it's 2012. It shouldn't take more than a few hours to count ballots. Any questionable ballots get rejected. If the voter couldn't fill in circles properly, their votes don't get counted.
Too many lowlifes use public transportation at night. How much money is going to retired transit workers who produce NOTHING but take away money that could be used to run buses?
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Take the church van on Sunday. The churches will have to buy more vehicles now instead of funding adoptions in Haiti.
 @david davey People like you are proof that scrooge really does exist.
Your comment shows ignorance at its best.
 @david davey There are also people with jobs and families who use public transportation at night because they have no other choice. The "church van on Sunday" isn't an option for those who don't live near and are not going to a church. And your comment on adoptions was strange and uncalled for. All I can gather from your post is that you have a problem with everything.
There are a lot of disabled people that will be out of work now with no way to get there if they cut more bus service. So now your tax dollars will pay for their unemployment and SSI. At least before they had a way to support themselves and it also makes them feel good to have something that they can do.Â
 @citizen kane so becouse you are disabled you have to ride the bus what BS and an insult to the disabled
Defeated again even after re drawing the voting area. were are not as dumb as you thought. now do what needs to be done charge more
 @armor This was already done. It's not enough. Obviously you don't use the bus. And you don't give a damn about the people that do.
 @C. David  @armorÂ
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Are you aware other transit agencies are going bankrupt because of bloated transit pensions so these agencies cut bus service to pay for useless scags who are bleeding the system? The retirees do not deserve to live like kings when bus service is  being cut.
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You need to address this issue.
@david davey @C. David @armor I believe that in the state of Washington public pensions are paid for by the STATE not individual agencies. But again that shows how you just spout off and DONT know what you are talking about
 @david davey  @C. David do not forget to much management and admin.
 @C. David you ride it you pay for it
 @n9078jk4  @C. David thats smart kill the economy and let china run the world like they give a crap about emissions
 @n9078jk4  @C. David the gulf war statement is a joke lets drill our own oil we have more than the middle east.  they should have let them go bankrupt and get reorganized in the courts instead of giving large parts of the companies to the unions and fiat. cut the fair share crap the road are needed for the economy to work, national defence ie the highway system so it is payed for in many ways. you make a choice to ride the so pay the price to ride it.instead of freeload of eveyone one else
 @armor Oh, is that so?  *snickers at the irony*
 @TehHawt  @armor lol..  I assume were (we're) thinking the same thing? Â
 @sleever  @TehHawt if it was so good why did southhill not get to vote even though it goes to 176th and medrian
 @TehHawt  @armor Oh, and this (points at self) dumb guy voted yes.  Apparently 49.66% of voters are also dumb at this point.  Myself, I'd rather be dumb that selfish.  That's just me though.  :P