NEWTON COUNTY – In a special election, the sixth iteration of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) passed once again during Tuesday’s election day.

Newton County citizens who voted “yes” amounted to 8,610 votes (61.53 percent) while those who voted “no” brought in 5.384 votes (38.47 percent).

This is the sixth consecutive time that the ESPLOST has been passed, dating back to 2000 when it was first introduced.

The tax will continue to be a one-cent sales tax on all retail purchases in Newton County.

Previously, the Newton County Board of Education has outlined their intentions with ESPLOST VI in their 2025 Capital Improvement Plan. Upgrades that are set to take place as a result of the vote passing are safety enhancements, technology improvements and new athletic facilities at each high school.

Newton County Schools shared a comment via their social media pages thanking those in support.

“We extend our sincere thanks and gratitude for your support of our  E-SPLOST VI program,” an NCS social media post read. “Together we are "Building the Future" of Newton County Schools!”