Washington residents don't want golf carts being driven on city streets. Or at least an overwhelming majority of the registered voters who weighed in on the issue this week don't.
A nonbinding referendum placed on the primary election ballot asked the question: "Should the city of Washington permit the operation of golf carts on city streets in any capacity?"
There were 1,271 "no" votes and 676 "yes" votes cast in unofficial returns, or 65% in favor and 35% opposed. Nearly 19% of the city's registered voters cast ballots.
The issue of golf carts being allowed on city streets has been brought to the Washington City Council several times in recent years, with no council vote taken.
The current council decided in December to place the issue on the ballot to take the temperature in the community on the support, or lack of support, for golf carts.
"I didn't know what to expect from the vote, but I'm saddened that so few people voted," said Mayor Lilija Stevens. "Those who did vote sent a clear message to the council."
Council's vote to put the issue on the ballot was 7-1. Alderperson Brandon Moss cast the lone "no" vote.
"I wouldn't say [the golf cart issue] wasn't serious enough to be placed on the ballot, but there are certain criteria I would use to do that," he said.
"Financial impact would be one, and permanence would be another. A transformational capital project, for example, would check both boxes. The golf cart issue didn't really meet either of those criteria.
"The golf cart issue is exactly the type of issue residents elect us to deal with on the council day-to-day. That was the reason I didn't think it belonged on the ballot."
As for the vote results, Moss said he wasn't surprised at all by the overwhelmingly negative vote.
"A lot of people had voiced their opposition to me," he said. "Maybe because they knew I was opposed?
"Many residents took a common sense approach that golf carts don't belong on the busy streets of Washington."
