A sign urges voters to reject a $4 million bond measure to finance a new community pool. The vote ended in a tie in early unofficial results.

JOHN DAY — The pool bond vote ends where it started: In a tie.

A tie is not enough to pass the measure, which requires at least a one-vote majority. The 802-802 deadlock means that the pool bond has failed.

The count is still unofficial, according to Grant County Clerk Brenda Percy, but there are no more votes to be counted.

The final tally, announced on Tuesday, June 7, ends a weeks-long wait for the result of the contentious $4 million bond election. The initial count ended in a 787-787 tie on Election Day, May 17. An updated tally the following day still resulted in a dead heat, with the count then standing at 789-789.

The total would be updated two more times as additional ballots were tallied under a new state law that allows mail-in ballots postmarked on or before Election Day to be counted as long as they are received within a week.

The no votes overtook the yes votes on May 19, with that slim 795-792 advantage widening to 798-792 following another update on May 24.

Sixteen ballots with challenged signatures wound up deciding the fate of the bond. Most of those ballots were able to be counted after the signature issues were resolved by Percy’s office. The result of that final count is an 802-802 tie that spells the end for the pool bond.

Still, that may not be the final word on the matter. Because the margin is within one-fifth of one percent, state elections law requires a recount. Percy said a hand recount will be done and the final vote will be certified on Monday, June 13. 

If passed, the bond would have raised $4 million toward the construction of a new community pool to replace the 64-year-old Gleason Pool, which was recently demolished after being closed for two years. The city sold the pool property and neighboring Gleason Park to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department for a planned expansion of the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site.

The bond would have added $.70 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to property tax bills inside the John Day/Canyon City Parks and Recreation District for a 20-year period. 

The pool bond vote will be officially certified on June 13. The original version of this story included the wrong certification date.