The unofficial voting results from May 20’s primary election came out in favor of the construction of a new Abington Middle School.
“Shall debt in the sum of $285,000,000 for the purpose of financing the construction of a new Abington Middle School be authorized to be incurred as debt approved by electors?” the ballot question said.
The “YES” votes totaled 8,941, and the “NO” votes totaled 8,556.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the referendum is believed to be the largest approved in Pennsylvania. Of 20 referenda proposed since 2006, just two have passed, according to the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials.
“We’ve worked very hard over the three years of his process to be as transparent as possible with voters in Abington and Rockledge. It’s been a multi-phase process, and one of the things that was really important to this board is that we get input from the community before advancing a referendum,” Abington School District board president Dr. Melissa Mowry told Glenside Local earlier this month. “That’s one of the most important aspects of this from a school board perspective. We’re a community-based organization, and we’re not interested in usurping anyone’s right to vote. We want to make sure that we develop a project that will serve both the needs and the means of the community.”
According to the district’s website, the new facility will be “purposefully designed to meet modern education and student needs, improve accessibility, foster community and positive school culture, and provide the best long-term value for our community.”
For Abington and Rockledge residents, property taxes will incrementally increase by up to $54 on a median home value of $387,402 starting in July 2026.
The design process for the school is expected to begin in June, with construction coming in 2027. The new building is expected to be ready as early as the 2029-2030 school year.
Additional unofficial primary election results can be found below:
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Rendering: ASD