Photo credit: Yelm Community Schools


– The Yelm Schools Bond required a 60% super-majority approval to pass.
The Yelm Schools Special Bond measure failed with a 58.97% approval, which remained under the required 60% super-majority.


– Editor’s note:
The Yelm Community Schools Bond faced an already-challenged uphill battle as the Yelm city council approved water rate increases after the November 2017 election, with property owners getting their newly increased January water bills at the same time their school bond ballots were in the mail. This on top of Port of Olympia tax increases, a fire levy, and Yelm’s new storm-water/sewer rate increases. City of Yelm voters have had many more taxes/fees added in their bills in the last 6 months, yet Yelm and Thurston County voters pushed this bond over the 60% super-majority required. However, this Bond did poorly in Pierce County, meaning the benefits of bond were not sufficiently conveyed to Pierce County voters, something to remember on future bonds. Had Pierce County voters been as enthusiastic as Thurston voters, this bond would have easily passed.

Yelm voters have rejected bonds twice in recent years for a community center plus smaller schools bond measures in 2015 and 2016. The previous passing Yelm Community Schools bond was in 2003.


Final results:
Thurston County
3,227 votes Approve 60.82%
2,079 votes Reject 39.18%
Total votes 5,306
Click here for the results.

Pierce County
441 votes Approve 48.25%
473 votes Reject 51.75%
Total votes 914
Click here for the results.

Total
Approve 3,668 = 58.97%
Reject 2,552 = 41.03%
Total 6,220