The school bond measure in Hollister was headed towards an overwhelming rejection in unofficial election returns tonight.
The 10:30pm report of the San Benito County Elections Office showed voters in the San Benito High School District solidly rejecting a $30 million bond measure for continued improvements at the high school in Hollister, 64 percent against and 36 percent for the new bonds.
A 55-percent Yes-vote was required to approve school bond measures. The bonds would have built a new cafeteria/student center, added solar panels and added safety improvements.
Four years ago, San Benito High School District voters approved a $60 million bond measure for new buildings, athletic facilities and renovations at the high school campus by an identical wide margin, only in reverse—64 percent to 36 percent.
A $4.2 million bond measure sought by the Aromas/San Juan Unified School District held on to a narrow margin late tonight.
The bond measure to help finance construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools in the small rural district held on with 57.3 percent of the votes, exceeding the 55 percent approval threshold required of school bond measures.
Approval of the new bonds would replace a similar $4.2 million bond authorization in 2010, with no increase in district indebtedness.
Elections officials said all precincts had reported their vote totals by 10:30pm, but emphasized that hundreds of vote-by-mail ballots and provisional ballots in each district remained to be counted. In many cases, they said these numbers would be equal to or greater than the initial precinct totals.
The Elections Office expected these ballots to be counted Wednesday and Thursday.
