With more than 60 percent of the vote, Gloucester residents approved a local referendum that will allow the county to impose a 1 percent sales tax to pay for capital needs in the school division.

The vote will allow the county to increase its sales tax from 5.3 percent to no more than 6.3 percent. According to unofficial results on the Virginia Department of Elections website, 13,446 voters (or 61.96 percent) voted in favor of the proposal, with 8,248 voters (or 38.04 percent) voting no. The measure passed in each of Gloucester’s precincts.

Michelle Stone, chair for the bipartisan group Vote Yes For Gloucester, said she couldn’t sleep the night of the election because she was too excited when she saw the results. Stone said she was impressed by the Gloucester residents and the pride they have in supporting the schools.

Vote Yes For Gloucester had volunteers at several of the voting locations to inform voters of the referendum. Stone pointed out that she saw about a 10 percent...