Earlier today, it looked as though Los Angeles County voters passed Measure R, increasing the sales tax by one half-cent to generate an expected $40 billion over the next 30 years that will be used to improve transportation infrastructure in an effort to reduce local traffic congestion.  As of 6:30pm, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder / County Clerk’s office, the following numbers represent the ballots left to be counted: 236,096 Provisional Ballots and 379,901 Vote by Mail ballots.That is a total of 615,997 ballots left to be counted.

 

The Registrar Recorder / County Clerk estimates that 615,997 represents only 89% of the outstanding ballots – that means only 89% of the ballots that were sent out to voters have come back. If the 89% number is correct, that might mean instead of 615,997 ballots there could be as many as 692,000 still left to count.

 

So what does this mean for Measure R?

 

The possibility of whether or not Measure R passes is in limbo. Currently, Measure R has: 1,633,442 votes in favor and 789,601 votes against, for a 67.41% in favor to 32.59% against. Measure R must pass with 66.67% of the vote.

 

UPDATE: To reach the two-thirds threshold and pass, Measure R would need 392,686 of the 615,997 votes left to be counted to vote in favor.

 

By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor