The Latest: Votes to limit Phoenix light rail falling short

PHOENIX – The Latest on a ballot initiative that would halt all expansion of the light rail in Phoenix (all times local):

8:40 p.m.

Early, unofficial results show Phoenix voters casting their ballots nearly 2-1 against a measure that would limit the future of light rail in their city.

The first results from the special election posted Tuesday night on the City Clerk’s elections website show over 62.4% of ballots turning down Proposition 105 and roughly 37.6% for it.

The results represent about 22.5% of the city’s 764,653 registered voters.

The measure aims to stop all planned expansions to the system, including a 5.5-mile (8.85-kilometre) extension into south Phoenix.

The results posted so far are mostly from mail in ballots. More returns are expected later in the evening.

6 a.m.

Phoenix voters are weighing the future of mass rail transit in the nation’s fifth largest city heading into the last day to cast ballots on a proposition asking whether expansion of the light rail system should be permanently halted.

Early mail-in ballots have already pushed overall turnout for Tuesday’s special election higher than one held four years ago at the height of the Phoenix summer, when many people go on vacation to escape triple-digit temperatures.

Phoenix spokesman Matthew Hamada says that by Friday the City Clerk had received back about 30% of early ballots it had mailed out, or about 21.5% of all registered city voters.

Polls will close at 7 p.m. Tuesday and the first unofficial results are expected to be posted online shortly afterward.