It was close, but now that the provisional ballots have been counted, the Paulding County Carnegie Library levy officially passed.
After the general election, the district’s 1.5-mill levy — which was a renewal with a decrease — had passed by a vote of 2,895 to 2,875. However, there were 63 provisional ballots outstanding.
Those ballots were counted Tuesday, and now it can be reported that the levy officially passed by a vote of 2,929 to 2,903 (50.22 percent to 49.78 percent) in the certified official count by the Paulding County Board of Elections.
Still, because passage was less than one half of 1 percent, an automatic recount must occur under law. That recount now will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 1. However, Paulding County officials say they do not believe the vote total will change with the final recount. The levy will generate a gross revenue of $480,000 a year for operating expenses in the district.