OKANOGAN COUNTY – Local school levies from Oroville to Brewster were carrying the day with the exception of Omak, which was under 50 percent by the narrowest of margins, in the first ballot count of the Tuesday, Feb. 11 special election.

Oroville School District’s two-year levy request was set at a rate at $2.32 per $1000 in property valuation to be collected in 2021 and 2022. At the present valuation of the district the levy would raise $1,229,600 each of the two years. The measure had 59.85 percent approval in the first count, which is unofficial until certified, well over the simple majority of 50 percent needed to pass.

Tonasket School District was also passing by a large majority with 57.72 percent of the ballots going in favor of the Programs and Operation Levy. The district’s two-year levy will be collected at the estimated rate of $1.60 per $1000 in assessed property valuation. The district estimates it will collect $878,240 in 2021 and $922,152 in 2022.

Elsewhere in Okanogan County, the Methow Valley, Brewster, school districts were also passing their levy requests in the first ballot count. However, as of Tuesday, Omak’s was too close to call with 49.97 percent of the ballots cast in favor and 50.03 against. Outside the county in Bridgeport the levy was passing, while the Lake Chelan School District, which had two propositions on the ballot, was struggling, with both only at 37.50 percent approval of Okanogan County voters. The measure was passing district-wide though with 62 percent and 64 percent for Proposition 1 and Proposition 2, respectively.

The next ballot count, which is also unofficial until the election is certified, will be on Friday, Feb, 14.