The two ballot measures most talked about in the city of Sammamish passed with majority approval in the April 28 special election, according to initial results released Tuesday evening. Results will not be final until May 12.

The Klahanie annexation ballot measure passed with nearly 87 percent voter approval and the initiative and referendum advisory vote gained a 55 percent approval, according to the county’s ballot count released at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

As soon as the results are final, the city of Sammamish can move forward with transferring the Klahanie area out of unincorporated King County and into city limits. This will add nearly 11,000 people to the city’s population.

“It’s a wonderful result,” Sammamish Mayor Tom Vance said. “We have so much in common with all the folks in Klahanie. We share schools and so many other things — libraries, public parks. Now we can share all those things as one community.”

There was a 40 percent voter turnout for the Klahanie ballot measure.

The Sammamish advisory vote was meant to gauge how many residents want local initiative and referendum powers, which would give citizens limited power over some types of legislation. It is up to the council, now, to decide what to do with that input.

Vance said he can’t imagine the council going against the majority opinion, but it is up to the council, as a whole, to implement these powers.

There was a 20 percent turnout for the Sammamish initiative/referendum advisory vote. 

Ballot results will be continuously updated until May 12, when results are final, and posted on the King County Elections website.