Wayne County public services levy passes by one vote after canvassing

UPDATE (5:15 p.m. on Monday, May 20): The official numbers are in, and the Wayne County Public Service Excess Levy, which addresses ambulance response times, passed in the Primary Election by one vote.

Initial election night numbers had the levy failing with just 59.9% of the vote. It needed a total of 60% to pass. The next day, the Wayne County Clerk’s Office told WOWK 13 News it needed just eight more votes to pass, and because of absentee and provisional ballots, it still had a chance to pass during canvassing.

The Wayne County Commission says that 60% of the vote equaled a needed 4473 votes. After canvassing was completed Monday, May 20, the Levy received 4474 votes, officially passing with 60.01% of the vote.

Wayne County Commission President Jeffrey Maddox says this is why “every vote counts,” and that one vote made the difference in this situation. The commission declared the levy passed as of Monday evening, and it’s expected to be certified by the board of elections next Tuesday.

“Thank God we got one more than we needed, than one less,” Maddox said. “It means every vote matters. People need to understand that if something is important, they need to get out and vote. This shows how important one vote can be.”

UPDATE (4:45 p.m. on Monday, May 20): The levy addressing ambulance response times passed after canvassing on Monday, Wayne County Commission President Jeff Maddox announced on Monday.

It needed 60% to pass, and after canvassing, it hit 60.01%.

WAYNE COUNTY, WV (WOWK) — The Wayne County Commission is set to canvass the results of Tuesday’s primary election which could mean the passage of a levy that would address ambulance response times.

The levy needed 60% of the vote to pass; as of Wednesday morning, it was 59.9%. The county clerk’s office told 13 News it needs around eight votes to pass.

The commission will add in provisional ballots and late absentee ballots, which have not been counted yet.

13 News Reporter Rachel Pellegrino first spotlighted the “Emergency Care Crisis” earlier this year when concerned families spoke up saying they felt “helpless” after calling 911 to be told there was no ambulance available to send.

In February, the Wayne County Commission approved a public service levy to be added to the May ballot in May. The levy was adjusted from previous years to include funding for EMS as well as other services such as public libraries, the health department and volunteer fire departments.

The levy is expected to generate about $2.6 million per year with the majority of funding going towards a county-operated EMS service. That system will provide two countywide ambulances operating year-round, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Robson said the levy will also provide supplemental EMS funding to the tune of about $50,000 for the volunteer fire departments that currently provide those services. Those departments will also receive additional funding for fire protection.

The public service levy will cost homeowners anywhere from about $35 to $122 per year. For example, if your home is valued at $100,000, your annual investment would be about $70.

The canvassing process, which is required by state code, will take place on Monday. City officials told 13 News that two precincts will be randomly selected and then the ballots for those precincts will be reviewed by the canvassing board, which is made up of the county commissioners.

The provisional ballots and late absentee ballots will also be counted as part of this process and added to the official results. According to the Clerk’s Office, there are 36 absentee ballots that still need to be returned.

Due to this process, city officials told 13 News there is a chance that the official results could change come Monday particularly in regards to the Public Services Levy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOWK 13 News.