Though it came close to getting approved by the community, the South Whidbey School District’s $80 million bond measure has likely failed in Tuesday’s special election.

As of Thursday afternoon, when the last ballot count took place, just over 58% of voters cast their ballots in favor of the measure, which requires a 60% supermajority in order to pass. While this was closer than the initial ballot count on Tuesday, it just wasn’t enough.

The county elections office estimates that fewer than 10 ballots remain to be counted.

If approved, the bond would have funded much-needed maintenance and improvements at the school district’s two main facilities, the middle school/high school and the elementary school’s north campus.

Proposed updates included replacement of windows, siding and roofing; the addition of inclusive playground equipment, a covered walkway and a sheltered play area; upgrades to restrooms, locker rooms, courtyards and the track and field; reconfiguration and repavement of parking lots; and construction of structures to mark separate middle school and high school entrances.

The last approved school bond proposal was in 1992. In the future, South Whidbey voters may see another measure on the ballot.

“Given the dire need for these repairs, replacements, and infrastructure upgrades for our students and staff, I expect that the district will take community feedback into account and have another bond proposal before the community soon to fill those needs,” Superintendent Jo Moccia said in a statement to The Record.

South Whidbey’s is not the only school bond on Whidbey Island to fail this year. Oak Harbor Public Schools’ $121 million bond measure also failed to get a supermajority vote in the Feb. 14 special election. However, State Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, recently secured $27.5 million in state funds to rebuild two of the three aging schools in the Oak Harbor School District that were on the ballot.

Nearly 50% of registered voters living within the boundaries of the South Whidbey School District voted in the April 25 special election.