Measure A — an initiative that would open the door to construction of a luxury mall and related open-space preservation along Agua Hedionda Lagoon — was still facing defeat by a slim margin as of 3:04 p.m. Thursday, according to the latest tally of votes.

The initiative was losing 51.18 percent (18,658 votes) to 48.82 percent (17,795 votes), according to updated unofficial results from the county registrar of voters office.

The results note that 3,500 mail-in and provisional ballots remain to be counted, down from about 7,100 as of election night Tuesday.