Tacoma renter measure still narrowly ahead as final ballots are counted

A proposed suite of renter protections seems headed for a razor-thin victory in Tacoma as Pierce County continues to depend the ultimate ballots.

Initiative Measure No. 1 leads by lower than 1%, with 50.4% of voters at present favoring the measure, in keeping with the most recent tally of votes launched Monday.

Backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, labor unions and progressive organizations, the initiative would require extra advance discover of hire hikes, restrict evictions throughout the winter months and faculty 12 months, cap move-in charges and late charges, and require landlords to pay relocation help after sure hire hikes. Supporters mentioned the principles would assist restore stability between tenants combating rising housing prices and their landlords.

Landlords and Realtors mounted a $371,000 opposition marketing campaign, arguing the rules had been unfair to small-time landlords and will lower the town inventory of rental housing.

The measure trailed in preliminary poll returns on election night time, then pushed forward Thursday, main by 470 votes. That lead narrowed Monday to 332 votes.

Pierce County estimates about 350 ballots left to depend countywide and 50 left in Tacoma. That doesn’t embody ballots that had been mailed on time however the elections workplace has not but acquired or these dropped in drop packing containers in different counties and nonetheless en path to Pierce County, Elections Supervisor Kyle Haugh mentioned in an e-mail Monday.

One other 186 Tacoma ballots had been unsigned or have challenged signatures. Haugh estimated that about 40% of these could also be counted.

The Seattle Instances has not but referred to as the race.