By Matt Phelps

Reporter Newspapers

The Lake Washington School District looks to be going two-for-three in ballot measures proposed in a special February election on Tuesday. The two levies on the ballot look to be passing, but the biggest of the three measures, a $234 million bond, was failing as of Wednesday evening.

“The two levies passing are very important for all students in the district,” said Kathryn Reith, a spokesperson for the District. “Those two were critical for us.”

The Lake Washington School District governs Eastlake High School in Sammamish, as well as schools in Kirkland and Redmond.

Prior to The Reporter’s deadline at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Prop. 3, a general obligation bond measure to raise $234 million, which would relieve overcrowding and renovate Juanita High School, is going down to defeat in the early vote count with 54.38 percent of ballots being cast in favor. The measure needs 60 percent to pass.

“We were really trying to be proactive with the bond measure,” said Reith.

The district decided to move up the bond measure it has scheduled for later this decade to stay ahead of overcrowding in elementary schools throughout the district. The Redmond Ridge area is dealing with the most overcrowding issues. The measure was also an attempt to raise funds to rebuild Juanita High School, which was also scheduled for later this decade.

“Juanita High School will have to wait for its modernization, but it is still a very good school with very good teachers,” said Reith.

Reith added that it is too early to know where the school district will go from here to deal with the issues.

“We have to think it through,” said Reith. “We need to step back and take a look at the results.”

Prop. 1, an operations levy to replace existing capital projects, was passing easily with 59.91 percent voting in favor. The levy only needs a simple majority to pass.

“This is such a big part of our budget,” said Reith. “We are very grateful it is passing.”

Prop. 2, a levy to replace existing capital projects that are scheduled to expire, is also passing easily with 57.61 percent of voters casting ballots in favor of the measure.

Over 19,000 ballots had been counted so far, of the 74,670 registered voters in the Lake Washington School District.

County elections officials expected an overall turnout rate of 35 percent of registered voters to cast ballots for the special election.