NORTH COUNTY – Oroville and Tonasket School Districts can breath a bit easier if early election results hold fast with both districts passing replacement two-year Maintenance and Operations levies.

The results of the first count for the Tuesday, Feb. 9 by-mail election show Oroville’s levy passing with 476 votes, or 60.41 percent, for approval and 312, or 39.59 percent, against. Tonasket’s approval is not as strong, with 617 votes for, or 58.37 percent and 440, or 41.63 against. Both should be enough to carry the day for passage.

The results are unofficial until certified and there are still ballots that may come in after Tuesday that were postmarked by the Feb. 9 election day. According to the Okanogan County Auditor’s office there are 11,642 voters registered in the county. A total of 4006 votes were counted for all the elections, which included Maintenance and Operations Levies for Nespelem, Bridgeport, Lake Chelan and Methow Valley School Districts, they are all passing at this time. Brewster and Lake Chelan have special levies that are passing as well.

While approval of M&O Levies used to require a super majority of 60 percent or more, it no longer does and a simple majority of 50 percent is all that’s required for passage.

For full results see: http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/okanogan/