First Look: November 2019 Library Elections
At least 50 libraries were on the ballot yesterday, Tuesday, November 5th, with levies, bonds, and other referendum to stabilize or increase their funding for collections, services, staffing, and facilities.
At least 50 libraries were on the ballot yesterday, Tuesday, November 5th, with levies, bonds, and other referendum to stabilize or increase their funding for collections, services, staffing, and facilities.
The first look at any Election Night is always “unofficial” and subject to change, but we want to share the top-level results as we uncovered them. The majority of libraries of the ballot were located in Colorado and Ohio, making this less of a national and more of a regional snapshot. Of the 35 libraries where county Board of Election results are now available, 30 appear to have passed their ballot measures and 5 failed. Unfortunately, all 5 that failed were for new funding. Renewals accounted for 23 of the 30 that passed. Two of the measures for new funding that passed were city-wide General Obligation bonds. With 5 requests for new, dedicated library funding passing and 5 failing, it was a mixed night for the growth.
A notable win includes the establishment of the new Southwest La Plata County Library District in Colorado, the nation’s newest library district. The two public libraries in that part of the county were set to close following the County Commission funding cut-off. An incredibly dedicated group of local stakeholders lead the way to put the measure on the ballot and campaign for passage. EveryLibrary was proud to support them through our pro-bono campaign consulting and a direct donation to the Vote Yes committee.
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We were thrilled to see our friends at the Pine River Library District in Bayfield, CO pass their measure last night. After losing on the 2018 Midterms by only 9 votes (after a recount), the library leadership team re-evaluated the scope of the project and the library Yes Committee rededicated themselves to the hard work of building a coalition to get out the vote. It passed handily with 58% of the vote. The Portage Area District Library ran a new mil levy for the first time since 1992 and saw excellent local support with nearly 60% voting yes. Likewise, in Telluride, CO. the San Miguel Public Library District went out for new funding for the first time in 22 years and saw 73% of their voters agree. We want to congratulate the Pueblo City-County Library and the Eagle Valley Library District, two other libraries we supported directly, on passing their measures.
If your library is going to the ballot in the next 3 to 5 years, we would be happy to connect with your team to help review and evaluate your campaign planning. Please reach out to us. Early campaign planning, fundraising, and coalition building make all the difference.
Preliminary and Unofficial Results – November 5, 2019
| Library | City/County | State | What is on the ballot | Votes For | Votes Against | Total Votes Cast | % yes | % no | Pass / Fail |
| Ada Public Library | Hardin County | OH | An additional tax for the benefit of Ada Public Library for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding 1 mil for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.10 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for 5 years, commencing in 2019, first due in calendar year 2020. | 549 | 327 | 876 | 62.60% | 37.30% | Pass |
| Albuquerque | NM | Large city-wide GO Bond that includes $8.8 million for public libraries, including a library in the International District. | 56680 | 22301 | 78981 | 71.76% | 28.24% | Pass | |
| Anythink | Adams County | CO | Mill Levy (note that this is under Rangeview Library Dist on the clerk’s page, but tweet about Anythink please) | 29507 | 34221 | 63728 | 46.30% | 53.70% | Fail |
| Ashtabula County District Library | Ashtabula County | OH | ADD – 0.25 MILLS – TECHNOLOGY UPDATES + LIBRARY BUILDINGS – CPOT | 4357 | 4401 | 8758 | 49.75% | 50.25% | Fail |
| Beekman Library | NY | Increase Beekman Town contribution to library budget by $19.3K | 1597 | 894 | 2491 | 64.11% | 35.89% | Pass | |
| City of Peekskill | Westchester | NY | Should the city increase its funding for the Field Library budget by $38,000 to $833,000 a year? | 2096 | 1116 | 3212 | 65.26% | 34.74% | Pass |
| Delta County Library District | Delta County | CO | Issue 7A asks voters to approve a 2.7 mill levy increase | 4390 | 5786 | 10176 | 43.14% | 56.86% | Fail |
| Dorchester County Library | Dorechester | SC | $30 million General Obligation Bonds for library construction n the Summerville, North Charleston + Ridgeville areas of Dorchester County. | 11576 | 5798 | 17374 | 66.63% | 33.37% | Pass |
| Eagle Valley Library District | Eagle County | CO | De-Gallagher | 4618 | 2573 | 7191 | 64.22% | 35.78% | Pass |
| Flint Public Library | Flint | MI | $12.6M bond for building renovation | 9618 | 4039 | 13657 | 70.43% | 29.57% | Pass |
| FOREST-JACKSON PUBLIC LIBRARY | Hancock County | OH | A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Forest-Jackson Public Library for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding 0.7 mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to seven cents ($0.07), for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a period of five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021. | 356 | 130 | 486 | 73.25% | 26.75% | Pass |
| Garfield County Library District | Garfield County | CO | 1.5 mill increase – about $4 million dollars per year . They say that would help them make up for about 2 million dollars that they’ve lost since 2015. 6A also asks voters to waive any restrictions TABOR, or the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, places on their revenue. | 5471 | 5138 | 10609 | 51.57% | 48.43% | Pass |
| Granville Public Library | Granville/Licking | OH | Renew 5 year levy at 1 mill | 2686 | 655 | 3341 | 80.40% | 19.60% | Pass |
| GRANVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY | Licking County | OH | Property Tax – Renewal – 1 Mill, 5 Years, For the purpose of Current Expenses | 2686 | 655 | 3341 | 80.40% | 19.60% | Pass |
| Gunnison County Library District | Gunnison | CO | Raise property taxes by 1.9 mills beginning in 2020; relieve the library district of its TABOR limits; and counteract reductions in the district’s funding caused by state taxing regulations like the Gallagher Amendment. | 2410 | 2094 | 4504 | 53.51% | 46.49% | Pass |
| Harris Elmore Library | Ottawa County | OH | Renewal of 1.1 mills current expenses (5 years, 2020) | 2116 | 802 | 2918 | 72.52% | 27.48% | Pass |
| Hurt/Battelle Memorial Library of West Jefferson | Madison County | OH | Renewal – 1 mil 5 years | 903 | 343 | 1246 | 72.40% | 27.50% | Pass |
| Kent Public Library | Putnam County | NY | Increase by $39,536 the town’s contribution to the Kent Public Library budget, to $566,686. | 1856 | 850 | 2706 | 68.59% | 31.41% | Pass |
| London Public Library | Madison County | OH | Renewal – 1.5 mils 5 years | 1526 | 485 | 2011 | 75.80% | 24% | Pass |
| Loveland Library | Loveland | CO | sales tax (will benefit several city departments, including library) | 8965 | 10163 | 19128 | 46.87% | 53.13% | Fail |
| Manitou Springs (City – for projects) | Manitou Spring | CO | New 0.3% sales tax would go toward arts, culture and heritage including library | 880 | 936 | 1816 | 48.46% | 51.54% | Fail |
| Mechanicsburg Public Library | Champaign County | OH | Levy renewal | 538 | 287 | 825 | 65.21% | 34.79% | Pass |
| Mechanicsburg Public Library | Madison County | OH | Renewal – 1 mil 5 years | 9 | 5 | 14 | 64.29% | 35.71% | Pass |
| Milton-Union Public Library | Miami County | OH | Renewal | 770 | 230 | 1000 | 77% | 23% | Pass |
| Moffatt County Library – 2A | Craig | CO | 2A – The Craig measure is 2 parts because they have to approve the retail marijuana measure in order to get the sales tax. | 1386 | 1125 | 2511 | 55.20% | 44.80% | Pass |
| Moffatt County Library – 2B | Craig | CO | 2B – an additional sales tax of 5% on the sales of retail marijuana and marijuana products and an excise tax of 5% – libraries included as a beneficiary | 1635 | 895 | 2530 | 64.62% | 35.38% | Pass |
| Pine River Library District | Bayfeild | CO | Mill Levy | 1875 | 1318 | 3193 | 58.72% | 41.28% | Pass |
| Portage Area District Library | MI | A 0.5-mill property tax increase for 10 years. | 4435 | 3037 | 7472 | 59.35% | 40.65 | Pass | |
| Preble County District Library | Preble County | OH | 1 mil replacement levy for 5 years | 4280 | 3224 | 7504 | 57% | 43% | Pass |
| Pueblo City-County Library | Pueblo | CO | Replace expiring mill levy | 17699 | 12663 | 30362 | 58.29% | 41.71% | Pass |
| Rock Creek Public Library | Ashtabula County | OH | REN – 1.5 MILLS – CURRENT EXPENSES – 5 YEARS | 467 | 157 | 624 | 74.84% | 25.16% | Pass |
| San Miguel Public Library District | Telluride | CO | increase of .75 mill levy | 1380 | 508 | 1888 | 73.09% | 26.91% | Pass |
| Southwest La Plata County Library District | LaPlata County | CO | Create a new library district and establish a levy | 882 | 811 | 1693 | 52% | 48% | Pass |
| Warren-Trumbull Co Library Additional 0.4 mill | Trumbull County | OH | Additional 0.4 mill levy | 15314 | 10664 | 25978 | 58.95% | 41.05% | Pass |
| Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library | Lake County | OH | Renewal | 11238 | 6150 | 17388 | 64.63% | 35.37% | Pass |