By Kristin Rover
Sun staff
The Bethel police levy unofficially passed by a single vote May 6, but it is too soon to tell if they levy will officially be approved.
After absentee and election day votes were counted, 84 voters were in favor of the levy and 83 voters were opposed to the levy.
However, provisional ballots still have to be verified and counted, according to Judy Miller, director of the Clermont County Board of Elections.
“There are two provisional votes,” Miller said about the village of Bethel.
Miller said those votes will decide the fate of the levy, and she said for a levy, the majority have to vote in favor.
“If the race is a tie then the levy will go down,” Miller said. “It has to pass by at least one in order to pass.”
According to the Ohio Revised Code, if the number of votes cast for the declared winning issue does not exceed the number of votes cast for the declared defeated issue by a margin of one-half of one percent or more of the total vote, the Secretary of State shall order a recount.
Miller said that for Bethel, the difference is only one vote, but the total number of votes was low.
“It doesn’t look like there will be a recount,” Miller said.
The 1 mill levy is a replacement levy that would collect approximately $31,000 to pay for 911 calls in the village, according to fiscal officer Bill Gilpin.
Gilpin said before the election that the current levy lost 63 percent of its value since it was passed 30 years ago, and it no longer covers the cost of the 911 services bill.
If the levy passes, Gilpin said they will cancel the existing levy, which brings in approximately $12,000 for the village.
Miller said the board will open the certification of the election results May 19. She said the board will meet to certify the results May 27.
For more information about the election results visit www.clermontelections.org.