The Massac County Clerk’s Office is holding a recount for a ballot initiative that failed to pass by a single vote. The initiative to increase the county’s sales tax by 1 percent was defeated 3,319 votes to 3,318.
The increase seeks to pay for $5 million dollars in improvements to the county courthouse in Metropolis and generate more than $800,000 a year in revenue for 15 years.
Clerk Juanita Wedeking-Newberry says the recount was not requested by any party in the initiative, but was automatically triggered by the close result.
The recount will take into account 18 absentee ballots that were not received by the November 8th election date. As of Thursday, Wedeking-Newberry says 8 have been returned.
This is the second time the measure was voted on, first failing in the May elections by fewer than 200 votes.
The recount takes place at 2 P-M Tuesday and will be presided over by the state’s attorney, 2 county commissioners, sheriff, treasurer, the circuit clerk and a chairman from each party.
(This post has been updated to correct an error stating the sales tax increase would be $1 instead the proposed increase was 1%.)
