What Voters Told Us in Missouri and Michigan: Information, Engagement, and Turnout Win Library Elections

Voters delivered decisive victories for two public libraries this election season. The Webster Groves Public Library in Missouri earned an overwhelming 82.79% yes vote, while the Paw Paw District Library in Michigan secured approval of its millage with 67.99% of the vote.

EveryLibrary was proud to provide pro bono training and ongoing support to both library communities.

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These results demonstrate what can happen when library leaders give residents clear information, build authentic community connections, and create opportunities for library supporters to participate in the democratic process.

WEBSTER GROVES PUBLIC LIBRARY, MISSOURI

Voters in Webster Groves approved the library’s measure by an extraordinary margin:

• Yes: 7,738 votes, or 82.79%

• No: 1,608 votes, or 17.21%

The result reflects the depth of support for the Webster Groves Public Library—but that support did not appear on Election Day by accident.

EveryLibrary provided in-person training for the referendum team, including library staff, trustees, and Friends of the Library members. We also supported the library’s information-only campaign, helping its leaders communicate clearly with residents about the measure and what it would mean for the library and the community.

Separately, EveryLibrary trained and supported the community members organizing the Vote Yes ballot committee. We provided the committee’s campaign website and offered ongoing strategic guidance as its volunteers built support and worked to turn out voters.

The library and the ballot committee each had distinct roles. Library leaders focused on providing accurate, accessible information to the public, while the independent Vote Yes committee advocated for passage and encouraged supporters to vote. Together, these complementary efforts ensured that voters understood the proposal and knew what was at stake.

The campaign’s success can be attributed to several important factors: a detailed information campaign, broad community outreach, passionate get-out-the-vote work, and an impressive range of endorsements. Support came from community leaders as well as a National Book Award-winning author who graduated from Webster Groves High School.

These endorsements helped demonstrate that support for the measure extended across the community. The committee’s dedicated volunteers then transformed that support into action through conversations, outreach, and sustained efforts to get library supporters to the polls.

Winning nearly 83% of the vote is an exceptional achievement. It reflects both the value residents place on their public library and the discipline, organization, and hard work of everyone involved in the campaign.

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PAW PAW LIBRARY DISTRICT, MICHIGAN

The Paw Paw District Library also earned a strong mandate from its community:

• Yes: 2,328 votes, or 67.99%

• No: 1,096 votes, or 32.01%

EveryLibrary provided training and ongoing support for Paw Paw’s information-only campaign. Library staff, trustees, and Friends of the Library members led a strong community education effort that explained the need for the funding increase and connected the proposal to the library’s history and future.

One particularly effective element of the campaign was its use of nostalgia. The library shared examples from the last time it had asked voters for a funding increase, helping residents understand how long the existing funding level had been in place and how much had changed since then.

That historical perspective gave voters a useful frame of reference. It connected the current proposal to residents’ memories of the library while demonstrating that the institution had been a careful steward of public funding.

The campaign paired this storytelling with strong community engagement. Library leaders and supporters created opportunities to answer questions, explain the measure, and remind residents of the many ways the library contributes to life in Paw Paw.

With more than two-thirds of voters supporting the millage, the result shows that the information campaign succeeded in building public understanding and confidence.

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STRONG CAMPAIGNS BEGIN LONG BEFORE ELECTION DAY 

The victories in Webster Groves and Paw Paw provide several useful lessons for other libraries considering ballot measures.

First, community support for a library must be translated into an understanding of the specific proposal on the ballot. Even residents who value their library need clear explanations of what a measure will fund, why it is needed, and how it will affect the community.

Second, effective campaigns require many different people to participate. Library directors and staff cannot—and should not—do everything themselves. Trustees, Friends groups, community leaders, volunteers, and independent ballot committees all have important roles to play.

Finally, voter turnout matters. Good information establishes trust, but supporters still need to vote. In Webster Groves, the Vote Yes committee’s passionate get-out-the-vote work helped ensure that community support was reflected in the final results.

EveryLibrary works with library leaders and local ballot committees to build the knowledge, organization, and confidence needed to run effective campaigns. Our training, coaching, strategic guidance, and campaign support are tailored to each library, community, and election. Because of our donors, we provide this assistance pro bono and at no cost to the libraries we serve.

We congratulate the staff, trustees, Friends, volunteers, community leaders, and voters in Webster Groves and Paw Paw. Their work demonstrates that when libraries communicate clearly, engage their communities, and organize their supporters, voters respond.

Libraries and community advocates considering an information campaign or ballot measure are encouraged to contact EveryLibrary to learn more about our training, consulting, and campaign-support opportunities.