MARSHALL — An operating referendum that would have raised the Marshall Public School District’s general education revenue by $675 per pupil failed at the polls Tuesday.

According to unofficial Lyon County vote totals, the referendum received 2,808 “no” votes and 2,186 “yes” votes.

“I’m surprised by it,” MPS Superintendent Jeremy Williams said of the results. However, he said it didn’t mean that taxpayers weren’t committed to education at MPS. The district just needed to find a different way forward, he said.

“I think we need to go back to the drawing board and find another solution,” Williams said.

Earlier this fall, Williams told the Independent that approving the referendum would essentially reinstate a $675 per-pupil operating levy that was allowed to expire in 2018. The operating levy funds would primarily go toward costs like staffing and educational programming, Williams said.

The school district had said the $675 per-pupil operating levy would have a tax impact of about $21 a month for a home valued at $200,000.

Williams said the results of the referendum would likely have an impact on budget planning for next school year.