The November 4 elections across the country may have been local but taken as pieces of a larger picture they showed Democratic voters turning out in strength to make their voices heard—and a resounding message that voters value their libraries.

While many eyes were on the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, a redistricting proposal in California, and New York City’s mayoral race (Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has pledged to commit 0.5

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percent of the city’s budget to libraries—dedicated funding that would eliminate the yearly “budget dance” requests from NYC’s three systems), 24 of the 31 library measures tracked by LJ and library PAC EveryLibrary passed.

Ohio maintains library love

A large part of the good news involved Ohio libraries. Despite looming constraints on their revenue streams, the state’s libraries saw their customary high approval from voters, with 18 of 20 local levies passing by an average of 63 percent. These included one bond issue, 13 renewals, three replacements, and one additional levy. The two levies that did not pass—the Norwalk Public Library in Huron County and Grafton-Midview Public Library in Lorain County—were decided by close counts.

Earlier this year, the Ohio General Assembly passed a new state budget that removed libraries’ longstanding set percentage of the state’s General Revenue Fund. It was replaced by a line-item appropriation, effectively cutting library funding Victoria Sutherland, left, the publisher of Foreword magazine with Paul Graller of the American Library Association. forewordmagazine.com

by $25 million in FY26 and leaving the fiscal future more uncertain. More than half (52 percent) of total library funding now comes from property tax levies. Republican-backed House Bill 137, which would allow counties, cities, and other local governments to block library levies from the ballot, passed a committee hearing by one vote in March; it will be coming up for a full House vote soon.

“Despite these headwinds, Ohioans continue to stand by their libraries, and we are incredibly grateful,” said Michelle Francis, executive director of the Ohio Library Council. “Voters clearly recognize that their local libraries deliver exceptional value and play an essential role in their communities.”

Across the boards

Many eyes were on public library, school, and county boards this year. The news was largely positive for school boards, with most of the Moms for Liberty–backed candidates losing school board races.

The big win, however, was in Virginia, where the beleaguered Samuels Public Library (SPL), in Front Royal, got some good news. Earlier in the year the Warren County Board of Supervisors had elected not to allocate funding for the library in the wake of a concerted book banning campaign, forcing SPL to raise its own funds to stay open. But on Election Day, all four of the County Board of Supervisors candidates supported by the Save Samuels PAC won seats. The library will still need to raise more than $250,000 to fund its operating budget until the next fiscal year that begins July 1, but it has community on its side; in exit polls on Tuesday, according to the Northern Virginia Daily , “Most of the voters said they came to vote for one issue: county funding for Samuels Public Library.” Although election results had not been certified as of press time—fewer than 100 provisional votes, which will not change the outcome, were yet to be counted—the community’s strong advocacy came through for its library.

“We look forward to working with everyone and renewing communications with the county to get back to our public-private partnership, which we’ve always wanted,” SPL Director Erin Rooney told LJ. “And of course, we are so grateful to our wonderful community! Their words of support, encouragement, and donations mean so much to our staff. they keep us smiling and exemplify the ‘community’ in our mission to bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives.”

More wins than losses...

EveryLibrary supported two library measures directly, both of which were successful. The referendum for Upper Skagit Rural Library District, WA, asked for an increase of 18 cents on its levy to fund and possibly expand library services; it passed by more than 57 percent. In California, more than two-thirds of voters approved Measure G, which authorized a tax to fund a new Truckee Library/emergency resource center in Nevada County.

In Washington County, OR, a countywide levy increase to support library services passed by more than 63 percent.

Roseville Public Library, MI, saw approval for a 10-year millage renewal proposal; if it had failed, the library would have lost a third of its funding.

But in Venango County, PA, Oil Region Library Association’s countywide referendum for a special library tax was defeated by more than 69 percent of voters.

...And some mixed messages

News was mixed in Iowa. The Decorah Public Library saw passage of a $1.3 million bond proposal earmarked to update and improve the building; the bond, which required more than 60 percent approval at the polls, passed by more than 74 percent.

A $4.2 million bond referendum to expand and renovate Iowa’s Camanche Public Library, however, was rejected by two-thirds of the voters. Similarly, a $1.25 million project for a new library in Alta failed, garnering only 40 percent of the vote. Alta’s shared school and public library were forced to separate in 2023 after the passage of Iowa’s Senate File 496 “Parents’ Bill of Rights” law, and for now the Alta Community Library is temporarily housed at the local VFW.

Results for the city of Bee Cave, TX, were frustrating: voters approved a proposition to build a new 18,500 square foot library but voted against a proposition that would issue bonds and levy a tax to fund the $19.98 million project.

Even with scattered losses, “Public libraries are receiving a clear mandate from voters this November,” wrote EveryLibrary. “When presented with the choice, communities are willing to invest in their information infrastructure, programming, and future.