DARKE COUNTY — Voters in the northern reaches of Darke County went to the polls Tuesday to vote on school issues in a special election.

An income tax renewal for the Mississinawa Valley School District neither passed nor failed as the vote count was too close to call as poll results came in.

Darke County Board of Elections Director Becky Martin said preliminary results showed 61 votes for the renewal, 62 votes against the renewal, and 1 provisional ballot. There will be an official canvass of votes August 15.

As the vote differential falls within the one half of 1 percent threshold, a recount may be needed. Martin said the board of elections would consult with the Ohio Secretary of State’s office on how to handle a tied vote in this instance.

The 0.75 percent renewal levy affects the residents of Allen Township, Brown Township, Jackson Township, Mississinawa Township, Washington Township, and from the villages of Ansonia, New Weston, Osgood, Rossburg, and Ansonia.

A proposed bond issue for Tri-Star Career Compact Participating School Districts appears to have passed based on preliminary results.

In Darke County, results showed 33 votes for the measure and 21 against. The Mercer County Board of Elections showed 2,601 votes for and 540 against with 30 of 32 precincts reporting. The Shelby County Board of Elections reported 8 yes and 6 no votes for the bond issue in its jurisdiction.

The bond’s purpose is for acquiring classroom facilities and necessary appurtenances, including land acquisitions, in the principal amount of $17,000,000. The amount is to be repaid annually over a maximum period of 15 years, and an annual levy of property taxes be made outside of the ten-mill limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the repayment period of the bond issue ninety-five hundredths (0.95) mill for each one dollar of tax valuation, which amounts to nine and one-half cents ($0.095) for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation.

The bond commences in 2016, first due in calendar year 2017, to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds.

In Darke County, the Tri-Star bond issue was considered by voters living in Patterson and Wabash Townships, and those residing in the villages of North Star, Osgood and Yorkshire.