Measure J edges closer to (but not over) 2/3

In nearly all cases, the agonizingly slow count of provisional votes still being carried out by Los Angeles County's elections staff will not change the outcome of races, just the final numbers inscribed for the ages in the official canvas. But in the case of county Measure J, which would extend the sales tax add-on for transit projects, the ongoing count is like torture for those who care about the final result.

Because it's a tax increase, Measure J needed yes votes on two-thirds of the ballots on which a selection was made in the race — or 66.67 percent of the ballots. As of today's latest update, the yes votes have crept up to 65.66 percent.

YES 1,792,167  65.66
NO     937,215  34.34

While that's just one percent shy of passage, the gap is actually about 27,500 votes. The Registrar-Recorder didn't say precisely how many ballots are still to be counted, but Measure J would have to get yes votes on two-thirds of those — plus yes votes on enough of the ballots over and above the two-thirds to make up the gap.

"it’s possible but very unlikely that Measure J will pass," writes Steve Hymon, the blogger for Metro who has been closely following the vote.

Photo: Culver City station on the Expo Line, completed this year