Measure Q — the three quarter of a cent tax hike — has established itself as the biggest cliff hanger in the annals of Manteca municipal elections.

The latest update posted Wednesday on the vote count puts Measure Q yes votes at 15,764 versus 15,626 no votes.

The margin gap has increased to 138. The measure was leading by 123 when the previous count update was released on Friday.

There are still about 900 ballots cast by registered voters within the City of Manteca to be counted.

In order for the tax measure to fail, about 60 percent of the 900 or so ballots left would need to have no votes.

Regardless of which way Measure Q ends up going, the razor thin margin for a ballot proposal that isn’t a race for a specific seat will be a first in at least 50 years.

The tax measure requires 50 percent plus one to pass.

The remaining ballots must have signatures and addresses verified given they were mail-in or drop-off ballots. The process can be a laborious.

Those who vote in-person have their addresses and signatures verified at the polling locations before they cast ballots.

There were 179 ballots that were verified on Monday and Tuesday that were cast by Manteca city voters.

There were 6,000 votes left to be verified and tabulated by the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters at the end of the business day on Friday.

Should the tax measure that would end after 20 years pass, it will take effect Jan. 1.

Measure Q is designed to raise $13 million annually to help upgrade city streets and enhance public safety.

It also is targeted to help leverage bonds wedded with growth fees to build city facilities such as a new police station and enable the city to replace against and problematic equipment such as fire engines in a timely manner, among other things.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com