Chase County voters defeated a $20.5 million bond for a new hospital facility in a mail-in election that ended Tuesday at 5 p.m.
    A total of 1,688 voters cast ballots in the election with 984 opposed compared to 704 in favor.
    This marked the first time a county-wide mail-in election was held. County Clerk/Election Commissioner Debra Clark said her office conducted its first mail-in election for the Wauneta sales tax vote in February.
    Clark said the turnout for the bond election totalled 67.76%. The turnout for Wauneta’s mail-in vote totalled 51%.
    Clark’s office said 11 people registered to vote prior to the election but one passed away, bringing the final number of eligible voters to 2,491.
    Steve Lewis, CEO of the hospital, expressed appreciation to the people of Chase.

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