It’s too close to call.

With all 61 precincts reporting, voters are supporting the school district’s request to increase its local option budget. The results – 3,783 in favor, with 3,730 against – also include advance ballots.

However, Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew said there are about 85 provisional ballots that aren’t part of the tally – which could swing the election either way. Those ballots won’t be reviewed until Friday, when the Douglas County Commission sits as the county election board and certifies the votes.

In Tuesday’s election, the district asked voters for permission to increase the local option budget by 1 percent. District officials said that increase would raise about $679,000 from property taxpayers. Board members said the increase would cost the owner of a home valued at $200,000 an extra $13.80 annually.

Some critics have said that a property tax increase would be poor timing based on the current economy and that it would hit senior citizens the hardest.

School board members said they hoped to funnel money to staff salaries and, possibly, to other programs, such as WRAP, which places Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center clinical social workers in some schools.

The Lawrence Education Association, which represents the teachers, supported the LOB increase.