Cedar Rapids PPEL officially passes by 31 votes

CEDAR RAPIDS - A very close election to increase the Cedar Rapids school district's physical plant and equipment levy, or PPEL, appears to be over, with the measure passing by just 31 votes.

The Linn County Auditor's Office canvassed the votes on Monday morning, and the Linn County Board of Supervisors certified the results. Barring a petition for another recount, the PPEL has passed.

'If someone files for a recount, we'll go from there,” said Tim Box, deputy commissioner of elections. 'Otherwise, we consider this election closed.”

A petition with at least 65 signatures would need to be filed by Thursday to call for a recount.

The PPEL measure had a 32-vote lead in favor of the increase on election night last Tuesday, but the narrow margin, outstanding absentee ballots and issues with ballot scanners delayed the declaration of a winner.

The outcome on Monday morning matched the results following a Thursday administrative recount of two precincts where ballot scanners were getting jammed on election night. Box said one additional absentee ballot arrived since Thursday, but it was not valid because it was postmarked after the filing deadline.

The final vote stands at 3,264 in favor of the levy and 3,233 against, Box said.

After resoundingly defeating a nearly identical proposal in 2013, this year's election drew 60 percent more voters and gave a green light to a 10-year tax levy that will mean $1.34 per $1,000 of residential property valuation.

For a $100,000 home, the property owner would pay an extra $37.43 per year.