Notes on a Close Vote in Whatcom County: EMS Levy

Whatcom County is in the midst of a very close election count. An emergency medical services property tax was on the 2016 ballot. The levy requires a 60% yes vote to pass. Yes, it is close!

 

But note that EMS is out polling Clinton and Trump. The presidential vote in Whatcom County did out poll EMS; I cut off the "third party" candidates - the total of all presidential candidates was a bit more than the total for EMS.

However, a very striking part of this vote is the turnout in Whatcom County was 82.4%. Pretty good compared to the national 55% turn out at the national level. We are not a red state - blue state divided country; but divided as well on a third level with voters and non voters.

The closeness of the EMS levy did get some Seattle-centric attentions: http://komonews/it-couldnt-be-any-closer-local-levy-passing-by-01-percent.

I should note that this is the first EMS property tax levy in Whatcom County. Previous EMS taxes had been sales tax funded combined with local fire district levies and money from the Whatcom County general fund.