Union County voters rejected a $200 million jail-bond referendum Nov. 3, with 58,968 votes against and 33,521 in favor in unofficial results checked Nov. 5.
The State Board of Elections tally shows 63.76% opposed and 36.24% supporting the proposal, with all 54 precincts reporting. The result remains subject to the canvass and certification.
The vote denies the requested general obligation bond authorization. It does not establish that the county has abandoned the project or chosen a different financing plan.
What the bond would have funded
The county’s July 22 announcement described a detention center with approximately 500 beds and reuse of the existing administrative building for training and operational support. Commissioners unanimously voted July 20 to put the question on the ballot.
The county said the current detention center, built in 1994, has mechanical and structural problems, lacks expansion room and operates above capacity. Its assessment was that renovation would cost about as much as replacement.
General obligation bonds are backed by the county’s credit and taxing authority. The county presented them as a lower-cost borrowing option, while acknowledging that other financing methods were available.
Estimated cost to taxpayers
WCNC reported an estimated $312 million in total repayment, including $112 million in interest. The projected annual property-tax increase was $31.10 for each $100,000 in assessed value, or $124.40 for a $400,000 property. Those were estimates tied to the defeated proposal, not a tax increase automatically imposed by the vote.
Chief Deputy Tony Underwood told WCNC that the 264-bed jail typically held 290 to 300 people a day. He said the need for additional space would persist even if the bond failed.
The county elections office lists the county canvass for Nov. 13. Further construction or financing decisions would require additional county action.
