Nearly two and a half years after the first jail tax election unofficial results show over 50 percent of voters are in favor of a half-cent sales tax increase to fund a new jail by a narrow margin.

According to the unofficial results as of press time from Tuesday’s special election it shows that 20,996 votes were cast with 10,909 supporting the sales tax increase while 10,035 voted against it.

Tuesday’s election was not the first-time voters approved supporting the jail tax by a narrow margin. The county first held an all mail election in May 2023 where voters approved the half cent sales tax increase to fund a new jail. But that election was quickly challenged after a group filed a lawsuit claiming the all mail election had disfranchised over 10,000 voters who did not receive a ballot to vote