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CITY, ND – It’s was a close one but Maple Valley School District voters narrowly defeated a school bond issue in a special election.

Superintendent Brian Wolf says the official result was 59.60 percent in favor of the measure after counting all the ballots. 60 percent or more is needed to pass.

Seven absentee ballots were opened during the canvasing process on Monday, April 20. Three absentee ballots were yes and 4 voted no. The grand total, 453 yes votes compared to 307 no votes. Wolf says they were two votes shy of a recount.

Dawn Schnase of Tower City has a son who is a student in the school district. She says she’s disappointed by the outcome.

800 voters cast ballots in the April 14 school bond election compared to 574 votes in the January special election.

Under the plan the district would have renovate an existing structure in Tower City to bring all students under one roof. One school in Buffalo and another in Oriska would have closed if it had passed.