FORT MADISON, Iowa — A recount of ballots cast earlier this month on the Fort Madison School District's $30 million general obligation bond referendum yielded no change in support.
The recount, which was done Monday behind the Lee County jail, revealed only two ballots were not counted properly. One was a "yes" vote, and the other was a "no."
Lee County Auditor Denise Fraise said the machines likely counted those ballots incorrectly because the circles were only partially filled in.
"In the Fort Madison Library they picked up one more yes vote and in the West Point Library they picked up one more no vote," Fraise said. "The reason was the ovals were barely marked so the machines on election day counted them as blank ballots. The Recount Board determined that the voter intent was to vote yes and no respectively."
Of the 2,959 ballots cast in the referendum, 1,757 were in favor. The 59 percent in favor narrowly fell behind the 60 percent plus 1 needed for the bond to pass.
April's referendum was the third time since December 2016 the district has put to vote a bond to use for a new elementary school building to replace its existing Lincoln and Richardson elementary schools as well as relocate the high school's softball and baseball fields to the plot of land the district owns at Bluff Road and 38th Street.
Supporters of the bond said the existing elementary buildings are without the necessary security features of modern school buildings, are unable to support technological needs, lack adequate heating and cooling and are not handicap-accessible.
