1351: The Engine That Is Nearly at the Top of the Hill

Update:  the I-1351 campaign has declared victory.

My latest tweet:

 Yes to lower class sizes in WA continues its winning ways, up 18K votes. Biggest counties trend Yes; should be able to call by Monday eve.

After today's ballot drops, Yes on 1351 is up by 18,205 votes (nearly 1%).  

Pierce County had 9,000 ballots - they are down to 1500 (at 51.65% Yes)
King had 121,000 ballots - they are down to 88,000 (at 54% Yes)
Snohomish had 58,000 ballots - they are down to 27,000 (at 50.5% Yes)
Spokane has 13,500 ballots outstanding (at 50.23% Yes)

So while some counties are just hanging in there, King has, by far, the largest number of ballots and they continue to trend Yes.

Biggest approval?  Jefferson County with 60%.
Lowest approval?  Colombia County with nearly 65%.

I readily admit that, like other measures, voters may have been confused by this measure.  But again, if we all agree to vote Yes to everything for kids, then we will have a very long list of measures passed.

From all the legislators that I read about/heard from, I don't think there will be much joy in the Legislature.  I also perceive that the Times, given their recent editorial, will be very unhappy about this outcome.  But just as the charter measure was close, so is this one.

Comments

Anonymous said…
So, remember all that business-like talk about "customers" of the district and such by those Broad/Gates/LEV coalition members a few years back when they pitched the "class size doesn't matter" stuff?

Well, how about this business analogy: Your "customers" are DEMANDING smaller class sizes, for the second time, by popular vote. So, will the biz-heads listen this time? Or go back to ignoring what we want, and telling us what we need, instead?

I can't wait to hear the echo-chamber logic from legislators and the Ed Reformers wining and dining them in Olympia about what we can and can't afford, and that Singapore has huge classes and kick our butts in math, etc., etc., etc.

So much for what the "customer" wants. This will be interesting to watch play out.

WSDWG

11/10/14, 2:15 PM
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