Voters have decided by a 2 to 1 margin to pay for the new Clay County Correctional Center with an addition to the sales tax.

The measure enacts a county-wide one-half cent sales tax to purchases. The local tax will be added to Minnesota’s 6.875 percent sales tax, including the same exemptions for food, clothing and other items. The Minnesota Legislature must approve the tax before it can be put into effect.

Unofficial vote totals, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State: yes, 18,632 (66.41%); no, 9,425 (33.59%).

The tax is estimated to raise an estimated $1.6 million per year, with revenue earmarked to repay the $37.5 million in bonds that will be issued to fund construction of the new correctional center.