Special Election: Gwinnett MARTA referendum fails

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Update Tuesday 10:50 p.m.: Channel 2 Action News has learned MARTA will not expand to Gwinnett County -- at least for now -- after voters cast their ballots and ultimately voted against the expansion. 54% of voters voted "no" while only 46% of voters voted "yes."

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Gwinnett County headed to the polls Tuesday to vote on a plan to expand MARTA into the area.

Our latest poll shows the plan only has 40 percent support, and nearly 53 percent opposition.

The ballot can be a bit confusing, some voters say. The question on the ballot reads, "Should the county execute a contract for transit services - Yes or no?"

The ballot doesn't mention the word "MARTA" or a new 1 percent sales tax or all the traffic that is at the center of today's big vote.

A "yes" vote would approve the contract to allow MARTA to take over transit service in Gwinnett County.

It would mean bringing the current heavy rail line out another 5 miles to a hub near Jimmy Carter and Interstate 85 and more immediately, greatly expanding bus service.

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But there would also be a one penny sales tax increase for the next 38 years, raising billions, to pay for it.

Our exclusive WSB/Rosetta Stone poll shows a lot more opposed to the idea and voting "no."

Anthony Nguyen says he wants to see the expansion of MARTA.

"We don't have to fight the traffic downtown or the airport. It will save a lot of time," Nguyen told Channel 2's Dave Huddleston.

Nancy Ingemanson told Huddleston that expanding MARTA into Gwinnett County won’t really benefit her.

"It's not really benefiting us coming out this far, stopping at Norcross and I don't know, there's a bunch of elderly people around here that I talk to and that's the general consensus among most of us," Ingemanson said.

Election officials told Huddleston about 60,000 people of the 545,000 registered voters had voted so far.

Cox Media Group