BELLINGHAM, Wash. – It was a come-from-behind victory for a childcare initiative on the November ballot in Whatcom County.
Proposition 5 will raise property tax rates to help pay for early childhood education, childcare and other support for children in homeless or low income families.
It passed by just 20 votes, with a late surge coming from so-called cured ballots.
Whatcom County Auditor Diana Bradrick says the signature on the envelope of every ballot they receive is checked with their voter registration records.
They immediately send a letter to the voter if the signatures do not match.
The ballot is then counted if the voter submits a signature that does match voter records.
The deadline for cured ballots in this election was 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 28th, and Bradrick certified the results on Tuesday morning.
Campaigns for candidates or measures can legally contact voters whose ballots are challenged and urge them to get their ballot cured.