Stadium Referendum Wins By A Neck

Vote counts on the Seahawks stadium referendum showed Friday the project is a lock.

“Yes” votes for the $425 million project jumped ahead of “no” votes by nearly 35,000 ballots in counting that continued Friday.

Based on reports from county auditors around the state, the secretary of state’s office estimates there are only about 24,000 ballots left to be tabulated.

That means even if they are all “no” ballots, that’s not enough to sink the proposal for a new football and soccer stadium, and exhibition center.

The project will be built with a combination of money from lottery sales, King County sales taxes and $100 million provided by future Seahawks owner Paul Allen.

Spokane County voters inched toward a slightly more favorable position on the stadium in ballots counted Friday.

After counting another 20,000 ballots, the Spokane tally stood at 38 percent “yes,” 62 percent “no.”

On election night, Spokane voters had turned the referendum down on a ratio of 37 percent to 63 percent.

Final totals are expected Tuesday.

, DataTimes