FRANKLIN — St. Mary Parish voters on Saturday overwhelming approved a sales tax benefiting the local public school system.

The School Board had asked voters to renew a sales tax valued at 4.5 cents on the dollar for the next five years. The tax raises an estimated $5.1 million a year.

Complete but unofficial results show the measure passing with 82 percent of the vote.

The school board tax vote was the only item on the St. Mary Parish ballot.

Data from the secretary of state showed that about 10 percent of the parish's 30,426 voters showed out to the polls.