Measure R now ahead by full percentage point

The end is near on the counting of ballots: The Los Angeles County Registrar updated the numbers again on Measure R today. The half-cent sales tax increase in L.A. County for transportation projects now has 67.79% of the vote -- the first time it has led by a full percentage point. The lead in raw votes is about 32,164. The results are still unofficial.

The registrar's office said about 75,000 votes still need to be counted -- about 65,000 provisional ballots and 10,000 absentee.

Though it's mathematically possible for Measure R to lose, it's extremely unlikely from a statistical point of view.

--Steve Hymon

Comments

[Gokhan]

-- Measure R mathematically passes --

With only about 34,909 more votes to count, it's now mathematically impossible for Measure R to fail, because 2,014,405 votes are needed, while it has already got 2,027,679 votes. Now we can have the official champagne!

R -- MTA SALES TAX
YES 2,027,679 (67.89%)
NO 959,019 (32.11%)
Last Updated: 15:30 11/26/2008

[LAofAnaheim]

As a transit enthusiast, I am still shocked and overly excited that Measure R actually passed. I had no hope going into the election due to the poor campaign; but wow, it passed!

[Juan]

Looks like it will hit 67.994% (which will show as 68.00%) when all is tallied!

Now needs 17.503% of remaining votes to win. So, unless all remaining ballots are from grumpy grandpas in la habra, this thing wins.

[Ken Alpern]

This is definitely something to be thankful for as we move into Thanksgiving season!

[lsm]

Today I'll go out on the shortest of limbs and celebrate Measure R's passage. Tomorrow I'll watch for Metro to start building the promised system and pray for our officials to get matching funds to bring it online in our lifetimes. Thanks, Steve, for bringing us this wonderful news and please keep up your terrific job of informing us about transit developments in LA.