The ballot measure to build a new Stevens Elementary School in Aberdeen failed by just one vote.

The Feb. 11 special election was certified on Friday and the bond proposal for a new $46.8 million Stevens Elementary School failed to reach the 60% supermajority needed for approval. The vote was 2,002 to 1,335, (59.99%) in favor.

There won’t be a recount. There aren’t recounts for local measures such as school bonds, according to Grays Harbor County Auditor, Joe MacLean. Recounts occur only for candidate races or state measures, he said.

The Aberdeen School Board has already decided to try again. The board passed a resolution this week to add Stevens school bonds to the April 28 ballot.

The 1950s-era school hasn’t seen major construction since an addition was completed in 1974. Plans call for students to remain at the old school while a new school is built next to it. Stevens is the last of the district’s five elementary schools to be either upgraded or replaced. The school was scheduled to be upgraded or replaced in the early 2000s until the Weatherwax High School fire made building a new high school the top priority.

Maintenance issues have been a chronic problem at the school, according to Principal Arnie Lewis. Heating the classrooms has been a major issue for years, he said.