Voters on Tuesday backed a proposal to borrow up to $33 million to renovate the 34-year-old Cumberland County Civic Center.

With 86 percent of the precincts reporting, 59 percent of the voters were in favor of the bond and 41 percent were opposed. The vote included some large municipalities, such as Portland, where voters backed the bond by a 2-1 margin, and Westbrook.

Most of the biggest towns and cities had reported their votes, and the tallies appeared to follow the geographic lines as predicted, with communities nearest Portland favoring the renovation proposal.

Many voters in outlying communities say they go to the Civic Center less often those who live in and around Portland, and they were expected to oppose the bond.

Neal Pratt, the chairman of the Civic Center board, said supporters of the bond were “feeling pretty good” as results came in. The margins against the renovations were not as lopsided as he feared in the outlying towns.

“Farther away from Portland, we’ve held our own,” he said.

Bond supporters argued that without the renovation, the Civic Center – which opened in 1977 – will lose out on more shows because the facility will be inadequate to attract acts on tour. They said that could end up costing taxpayers, because less revenue means the arena will need an operating subsidy to keep it open.

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