UPDATE: Road bond referendum passes with widespread support, per unofficial results
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As the voting results for Saturday's special election poured in, Governor Jim Justice called it "monumental" to see just how much support there was for his roads plan.
Unofficial results indicate that the road bond referendum, on the ballot Saturday, will pass by an overwhelming margin. Of the state's 120,000+ voters, 87,751 (73 percent) voted "yes" in support of the amendment, while 32,759 (27 percent) voted against it.
Even Governor Justice, who spent the past several months traveling and promoting the roads plan as a way to boost the state's economy, was surprised to see the gulf in popular opinion.
"We've never been able to get 70-plus percent of our voters to vote for anything...whether or not we're goinna go to McDonald's or Wendy's." Justice said.
Governor Justice, who claimed the vote to be a "victory" for West Virginia, says he will likely be calling lawmakers back to the state capitol for another special session to iron out where to go from here. Justice said one of his top priorities is to make sure as many West Virginians are hired as possible to do the road work.
County-by-county unofficial results in our region are as follows in alphabetical order:
For the amendment: 996 (71%)
Against the amendment: 404 (29%)
For the amendment: 4082 (80%)
Against the amendment: 1039 (20%)
For the amendment: 345 (62%)
Against the amendment: 210 (38%)
For the amendment: 1963 (72%)
Against the amendment: 755 (28%)
For the amendment: 1509 (70%)
Against the amendment: 646 (30%)
For the amendment: 12,327 (80%)
Against the amendment: 633 (20%)
For the amendment: 590 (63%)
Against the amendment: 344 (37%)
For the amendment: 812 (63%)
Against the amendment: 475 (37%)
For the amendment: 1014 (60%)
Against the amendment: 691 (40%)
For the amendment: 689 (67%)
Against the amendment: 347 (33%)
For the amendment: 1152 (70%)
Against the amendment: 487 (30%)
For the amendment: 3769 (82%)
Against the amendment: 851 (19%)
For the amendment: 4326 (78%)
Against the amendment: 1238 (22%)
For the amendment: 1065 (75%)
Against the amendment: 358 (25%)
For the amendment: 1296 (59%)
Against the amendment: 911 (41%)
For the amendment: 295 (59%)
Against the amendment: 207 (41%)
For the amendment: 3689 (65%)
Against the amendment: 1940 (35%)
Early voting results in West Virginia's road bond referendum special election are showing support for the amendment in most counties across the state.
With 90% of the precincts reporting, the statewide results are as followed:
For the amendment: 81,160 (72%)
Against the amendment: 31,038 (27%)
Early voting results in West Virginia's road bond referendum special election are showing support for the amendment in most counties across the state.
One hour after polls closed, a small percentage of the total statewide votes have been counted. The statewide results are as follows:
For the amendment: 52,570 (72%)
Against the amendment: 21,007 (28%)
County-by-county results show varying levels of support. Results in our region are as follows:
For the amendment: 1065 (75%)
Against the amendment: 358 (25%)
For the amendment: 345 (62%)
Against the amendment: 210 (38%)
For the amendment: 2486 (79%)
Against the amendment: 633 (21%)
For the amendment: 2171 (83%)
Against the amendment: 456 (17%)
For the amendment: 996 (71%)
Against the amendment: 404 (29%)
For the amendment: 812 (63%)
Against the amendment: 475 (37%)
For the amendment: 1963 (72%)
Against the amendment: 755 (28%)
For the amendment: 609 (6%)
Against the amendment: 313 (35%)
For the amendment: 400 (72%)
Against the amendment: 158 (28%)
For the amendment: 924 (59%)
Against the amendment: 640 (41%)
For the amendment: 2876 (65%)
Against the amendment: 1562 (35%)
For the amendment: 320 (76%)
Against the amendment: 102 (24%)
For the amendment: 122 (60%)
Against the amendment: 81 (40%)
Check back with WSAZ for the latest voting results.
/17
Polls have now opened throughout West Virginia to vote for or against Gov. Jim Justice's road bond referendum.
Polls will be open until 7:30 Saturday night.
Click on WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for results of the special election as they come in throughout the evening. WSAZ will have full coverage of the results on the Tri-State's CW at 10 and on WSAZ at 11.