The controversial Tuscan Water District was approved earlier this week after the final vote tally was certified by the Butte County Registrar of Voters.
The 100,000-acre water district located on the western edge of the county was approved with 470 “yes” votes against 454 “no” votes. It sounds like a reasonably close margin but expressed differently the proposal passed 79% to 22%.
That’s because not all ballots had equal weight. Instead, each ballot’s vote value was determined by the property value of the landowner who cast it.
This is one reason forming the district has been so controversial. Many small land holders fear their interests won’t be fairly represented by a governing board composed of mostly large agricultural concerns.
As part of the election a nine-member board was also selected.
