Pullman hospital levy lacks turnout

A first count Tuesday night for the special levy election showed the proposed $29 million levy for Pullman Regional Hospital far short of the voter turnout needed to validate. The count after the polls closed Tuesday totaled 2,077 ballots cast for the measure which was just more than 55 percent of the required turnout for validation.

The proposal needed a 3,744 vote to meet the state standard for a turnout of 40 percent of the last general election in the district.

Tuesday’s count in the election office does not include ballots mailed on election day which are tallied in a subsequent count, but those additional ballots normally do not add the numbers needed for the Pullman proposal.

Ballots cast for the measure topped the required 60 percent approval requirement at 63.7 percent with 1,323 in favor and 754 opposed.

Voters in the Garfield Cemetery district approved a $40,000 levy proposal at 77.9 percent with 106 yes votes and 30 no votes.