Voters in Moab, Castle Valley and Grand County on Tuesday roundly defeated a voted leeway measure that would have raised about $1.6 million annually for Grand County schools. At polling places throughout the county, 62 percent of voters cast their ballots against the leeway. Out of 2,500 ballots cast on the leeway, 1,551 people voted against, while 949 voted for the measure, according to a report from Moab City Recorder Rachel Ellison.

School district officials had sought the tax increase to help offset an expected 2010-2011 budget deficit of $1.45 million that Grand County Board of Education members said resulted from the misallocation of funds over a period of several years. The projected deficit, and a budget shortfall of almost $1 million for the 2009-2010 school year were discovered in September. District officials have said that money from restricted funds was incorrectly transferred to the district’s general fund, then paid out to cover salaries, maintenance and operating costs for at least the past three years.

District officials had said that 25 to 35 district staff members would likely lose their jobs next year if the leeway vote failed.

Voters on Tuesday also elected representatives to the Moab City Council and Castle Valley Town Council, chose mayors for both cities, and cast ballots for candidates for two area water districts.

Moab Mayor Dave Sakrison won re-election by a wide margin over his opponent, Janet Miller. Sakrison received 1066 votes compared to 228 votes for Miller. Moab City Council members Jeff Davis and Kyle Bailey also won re-election. The incumbents were the top two vote-getters, while candidate Norm Boyd placed third in the race for the two open council seats.

In Castle Valley, voters elected Dave Erley as the town’s new mayor. Erley defeated opponent Greg Halliday by a vote of 112 to 53. Tory Hill was elected to one of two open Castle Valley Town Council seats, and write-in candidate Brooke Williams received the second-highest vote tally among 18 write-in candidates. But Williams’ eligibility to serve must still be determined because he is not currently registered to vote in the district, town officials have said. Write-in candidate Ron Mengel placed third in the race with a total of 13 votes.

Voters in the Spanish Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District re-elected three incumbents. Gary Wilson was the top vote-getter with 638 votes. Tom Stengel and Mike Holyoak also won re-election with 599 and 639 votes, respectively. Candidates Bill Love and Dale Weiss garnered 307 and 341 votes, respectively.

In Thompson Springs, voters elected David Haile, Pebbles Patterson and Helen Davis to serve on the Thompson Special Service District.

County and Moab city officials said about 40 percent of registered voters cast ballots in this year’s election ­– a percentage that is significantly higher than in most off-season election years. In Castle Valley, more than 50 percent of the town’s registered voters cast ballots on Tuesday.