Nebo School District bond election too close to call

It's too close to call.

That's what Nebo School District officials are reporting about the results of a $160 million bond election Tuesday.

Only 127 votes separate the yes and no votes, and with 61 absentee ballots still uncounted and 103 provisional ballots still uncounted, school officials say the earliest final results will be available is July 1. Some 3,057 ballots were cast for the bond, with 2,930 against, said Lana Hiskey, the district's public information officer.

Just over 10 percent of the district's registered voters participated in the election.

Results on a 0.0001 voted leeway were even closer, with 3,062 voting for the leeway, and 3,005 voting against.

The district plans to build five elementary schools and two junior high schools if the bond passes. The voted leeway would provide operating funds for the new schools.

The bond election, the only one held in the state this June drew fire from the Utah Taxpayers Association on Friday for being "extravagant" and for limiting polling placed to seven locations in the district.

Voting activity at Spanish Fork High School, one of the locations, was steady if not heavy Tuesday, with five tables and 14 voting machines set up to accommodate voters.

Frank Kanig, one of those voters, agreed with the Utah Taxpayers Association's assessment of the vote.

"I feel like they are trying to shoehorn it in," he said. "It's a poor time to be asking for more money in the middle of a depression. You mention education and it's like carte blanche comes along with it."

But Kristie Hall, who brought her 5-year-old son with her to the polls, said she was in favor of the election and the bond.

"I think it was great. We got all kinds of things in the mail, all kinds of things sent home from school," Hall said. "I think it will be good in the long run, especially with the growth."

And Glade Grotegut said he voted for the bond, even though he was worried about extending the school district's bond payment to 2028.

"You wonder how many more bond elections will we need to keep on going. I voted for it because I don't know what other alternative we have," he said.

E-MAIL: mhaddock@desnews.com