Lili Jensen prepared to cast her ballot in the local option sales tax election Tuesday at the Masonic Hall in Estherville. EDN photo by Michael Tidemann

Economic development in the area got a needed shot in the arm Tuesday as voters pushed the 1-cent local option sales tax through in Estherville, Dolliver, Gruver, Wallingford and the unincorporated areas. A total of 842 ballots were cast in the special election. In the city of Estherville, 427 voters (70.11 percent) said yes with 182 casting nay votes (29.89 percent). Voters in Dolliver supported the measure 23 (92 percent) to 2 (8 percent). The vote in Gruver was 20 (80 percent) to 5 (20 percent). In Wallingford, there were 24 yes votes (75 percent) to 8 no votes (25 percent). The combined unincorporated areas tally shows 136 voters (58.62 percent) supported the measure while 96 (41.38 percent) were against its passage. The major proponent of the LOST issue was the Excel! Estherville group which developed a comprehensive outline to improve the county seat and its economics.