Results of the Jerome Township police protection levy are too close to call as of press time Tuesday.
According to unofficial results from the Union County Board of Elections, only 36 votes separate those who are in favor and those who are against the tax levy.
Approximately 50.73% of voters, or 1,258 Jerome Township residents, are opposed to the levy while 1,222 are in favor of it.
According to Tina LaRoche, director of the Union County Board of Elections, there are 21 provisional ballots for Jerome Township that could be counted. She said there are 106 absentee ballots countywide that could be returned yet, though she does not have a breakdown for how many of those are from Jerome Township.
LaRoche said the election will be finalized following the official canvass Nov. 17.
The five-year, 1.1 mills renewal levy with a 0.1 mill increase would fund the township’s dedicated public safety officers, along with a portion of the cost for a school resource officer, provided through the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
If approved, the levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home approximately $31 per year. Under the current levy, the same homeowner is paying $27.50 annually.