History looks to repeat itself as voters are leaning toward shooting down a bond that would provide vital infrastructure support for East Multnomah County’s community college in a race that remains too close to call.

For Measure 26-258, the Mt. Hood Community College Bond, “No” narrowly leads with 51.28% of votes; while “Yes” trails with 48.72% of votes during the 2025 Special Election Tuesday evening, May 20.

As of Wednesday morning, May 21, more than 34,232 votes have been counted.

“It is still too early, and the numbers are so small, but we would have loved to see more ‘Yes’ votes,” said Dr. Lisa Skari, MHCC president. “Not sure I will get much sleep tonight.”

Of the three counties that make up the college’s sprawling district — Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River — only Multnomah had a “Yes” majority with 50.34%. The most significant gap was in Clackamas County, where 57.64% were against the funding ask.

The $136 million bond is estimated to be 25 cents per $1,000 assessed home value, or about $5 per month for the average home owner. The goal is to update the 1970s-era facilities, which are in serious need of modernization and safety upgrades.

It’s not just a few cosmetic leaks in the roof, but critical infrastructure work that has been handled with duct tape and gumption for decades.

The last time the college passed a bond was more than half a century ago when the school was first built.

This story will be updated as more ballots are counted.