Residents of the City of Washington have two days left to vote in a special election being held August 1st.

The special election is to decide whether or not to implement a seven percent hotel motel tax. If passed, it’d go into effect January 1st, 2018. The funds collected would be split half and half going to “promotion and encouragement of tourist and convention business in the city and surrounding areas” and to “all other purposes permitted by Chapter 423A of the Code of Iowa.” That chapter allows for a variety of things including constructing, repairing, or improving city convention and entertainment facilities. If passed, the tax would be implemented on the rooms that guests rent when visiting Washington.

As of 2015, 151 cities in the state of Iowa and 17 counties had imposed hotel and motel taxes, most of them at seven percent.

Residents of the City of Washington may vote in person early in the county auditor’s office Monday or Tuesday morning. The only polling location will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Washington County Courthouse. Listen to KCII Tuesday night for live results.