Six counties vote to keep gambling

As of press time, Eastern Iowans in six counties with casinos gave thumbs up to gaming in Tuesday's election.

Black Hawk County voters approved gaming 30,226 to 9,280. The county has the casino Isle of Capri in Waterloo.

Clayton County approved it 5,583 to 1,200. Isle of Capri casino is in Marquette.

Clinton County, home of Wild Rose casino in Clinton, approved gaming 9,362 to 2,884.

In Scott County, voters approved it 38,041 to 13,227. The county has Isle of Capri casino in Bettendorf and Rhythm City Casino in Davenport.

In Dubuque County, voters approved gaming for the Dubuque Greyhound Park & Casino by 26,449 to 5,656 and for the Diamond Jo Casino by 26,118 to 5,972.

In Washington County, voters approved gaming 3,019 to 804. It has the Riverside Casino.

Overall, gaming was on the ballot in 18 Iowa counties because Iowa law requires gambling referendums every eight years. Casino operators ran newspaper ads, sent mailings, spoke to civic groups and knocked on doors in their communities to remind people to flip over the ballot to vote “yes,” to allow them to continue operating.

No existing gaming operations have been voted out.

In other issues:

Clayton County voters defeated a $1.4 million bond issue for county offices, 3,342 to 3,149. The measure required 60 percent approval to pass.

In Marquette, with only absentee votes counted, voters had rejected a 7 percent hotel/motel tax, 16-11. It required a simple majority to pass.

In Earlville, voters approved a $500,000 loan agreement to build a new swimming pool, 254 (76.5 percent) to 78. It required 60 percent approval to pass.

Buchanan County voters rejected increasing the monthly E-911 surcharge to $1.95 for two years, 4,279 to 3,047.

Washington County voters approved increasing the monthly E-911 surcharge by $1.50, on a vote of 2,079 to 1,612.