We’ve always been told that every vote counts. That adage was driven home with a bang last week in the Snoqualmie Valley School District, where it appears that one vote—yes, just one—would have made the difference between passage and failure for the February 8 $56 million bond.
Do the math yourself: Add the number of “yes” and “no” votes for the total, then subtract one from the “no” pile and add one to the “yes” pile, then divide them. The answer: 0.6. There’s your 60-percent supermajority.
Bond boosters were joking about where the missing vote could be found. Was a ballot stuck under someone’s couch. Has a hanging chad struck again?
In all seriousness, I’ve never seen a vote this close. The near-unbelievable 59.99 percent vote should make everyone who sat out the school election—a little more than half of registered district voters—take notice and think for a moment about whether they should have voted and whether their ballot could have made a difference. Because in this case, only one person would have tipped the scales.
So it’s no surprise that a group of bond backers demanded and got a recount. But it’s anyone’s guess whether a hand recount will make a difference.
If the group is successful, then the measure passes and construction plans go forward.  If the recount doesn’t change the decision, then we can probably expect a new campaign later this year.
The district and bond backers will need to reenergize supporters and send a clear message on the importance of the bond and why these construction decisions are being made.
The stakes remain the same: Are residents willing to pay more in taxes to ensure proper capacity at local middle schools? Let’s make sure that no one remains on the fence next time.