Klahanie residents again have said “no” to annexing to Issaquah. With the election certified Feb. 25, a total of 1,536 votes, or 50.53 percent of the total, rejected annexation. There were 1,504 votes, or 49.47 percent “yes” votes.

It would have taken a 60 percent “yes” vote for Klahanie to assume Issaquah’s indebtedness.

Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler said another election is highly unlikely. Issaquah unsuccessfully tried to annex the area in 2005.

“We want to analyze the data, and look at the precinct results, and see if there are some areas with more support,” Butler said.

Annexing to Sammamish wasn’t a choice on the ballot, and the Klahanie PAA remains in Issaquah’s annexation area.

Don Gerend, who is a member of the Sammamish City Council and also a spokesperson for the group Klahanie Choice that favored rejection, said any future decision is up to the people in the neighborhoods that are within the annexation area.

The Sammamish City Council passed a resolution Jan. 7 that said it is committed to “fast track” the annexation of Klahanie, but it can’t do so unless Issaquah releases the area from its comprehensive plan.

Sammamish officials could go to the King County Boundary Review Board and the Growth Management Hearings Board to plead their case, but Gerend said they don’t want to do that. He also doesn’t want to see the PAA carved up.

But Sammamish is ready to roll if Issaquah releases the PAA, he said.

Butler did not rule out discussions with Sammamish to possibly lead to some policy decisions on next steps.