TL;DR
Turn the school run and nap time into listening time
- Thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and originals
- Listen on your phone, tablet or Echo — also offline
- Cancel anytime
Nine of 12 ballot measures that included dedicated early-childhood funding passed in the 2026 midterms, according to unofficial results reported by The 74 and the Children’s Funding Project. Two measures remained unresolved or had significant outstanding votes as of November 6; if the results hold, the election could narrowly surpass 2020 for the most successful such measures in a year.
Nine of 12 ballot measures that included dedicated funding for early childhood passed in the 2026 midterms, according to unofficial results cited by The 74 and the Children’s Funding Project, marking a strong showing for local and state efforts to fund childcare and early education through ballot votes. Two measures remained unresolved or had significant votes uncounted as of November 6, so the final tally and whether 2026 sets a record are not yet settled.
The Children’s Funding Project, a national nonprofit focused on public financing for children and youth, found that early-childhood funding appeared on ballots in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri and Texas. The report also included local measures in other places, including Baltimore, St. Louis and Kalamazoo. Across the 12 measures in its tally, nine passed, one failed and two were too close to call or had significant outstanding votes, based on unofficial results from Ballotpedia and the nonprofit as of November 6.
Several measures approved dedicated revenue for early learning or childcare. Colorado voters approved Proposition NN, which would raise the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap and direct part of the budget surplus to a new children’s account that could support preschool and childcare; it received 56.65% of the vote. Colorado Amendment 87, proposing a graduated income tax to fund K-12 education, health care and childcare, was listed as passing with 51.37%. In Baltimore, 71.19% supported an amendment to set aside existing city revenue for a Baby Fund serving families with newborns.
Other successful proposals included county taxes for childcare in Colorado, a property-tax measure for early-learning programs in Kalamazoo, a parcel tax for childcare in Marin County, and renewal of the sales tax funding San Antonio’s Pre-K 4 SA program. St. Louis City’s proposed sales tax for an early-childhood education fund failed, with 47.20% voting yes. The tally listed San Diego County’s Measure B and Arizona’s Tempe Proposition 424 as not yet called; the reported vote shares were 51.62% yes in San Diego and 40.39% yes in Tempe.
Ballot Taxes Could Stabilize Childcare
The results point to ballot measures as one route communities are using to establish dedicated, recurring revenue for childcare and early education. The 74 reported that proponents see these funds as a way to provide more predictable support than allocations dependent on annual budget decisions, temporary surpluses or one-time federal aid. That predictability can matter to providers making staffing and service decisions and to families seeking care, though the election results alone do not establish how much services or affordability will change.
The measures also varied in who would pay and what the revenue could support. Proposals included property, parcel, lodging and sales taxes, as well as changes to state tax and budget rules. Some focused directly on childcare; others covered wider services or combined early-childhood investment with K-12 education, health care or family support. Their passage signals voter approval of the measures on the ballot, not a uniform funding model or a guarantee that every eligible family will receive assistance.
The issue has significance beyond election totals because childcare costs and access affect household budgets and the availability of care for workers. The source report says polling indicates Americans want help with childcare costs, while few state legislatures have taken major action. The ballot results offer a measure of support for specific local and state funding proposals, but do not by themselves show whether voters nationwide share the same preferences.
Popular right now
Apple AirPods Pro 3 Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation
Samsung 65-Inch The Frame Pro Neo QLED 4K TV (2026) Bundle with Modern Brown Bezel, HDMI Cables, and Home Theater Guide
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer – Almond Cream (KSM150PS)
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A Decade of Local Funding Votes
The Children’s Funding Project described the 2026 results as part of a longer-running pattern. Olivia Allen, the group’s co-founder and vice president of strategy and advocacy, told The 74 that five, six or seven funds had passed on some even-year election nights over the past decade, across differing political and economic conditions. She said communities had continued to dedicate money to children.
The report contrasts voter-approved dedicated funding with childcare spending that depends on budget surpluses or temporary federal support, including money from the American Rescue Plan. Such one-time sources can provide funding but, according to the report’s explanation, do not give providers and families the same year-to-year certainty as an ongoing revenue stream. The 2026 measures were not all new programs: San Antonio’s proposal renewed and extended an existing sales tax supporting Pre-K 4 SA, first approved in 2012.
The report’s headline describes the election as a possible high point, not a final record. Allen said that if the winning results hold as remaining ballots are counted, 2026 would narrowly eclipse 2020 as the year with the most successful ballot measures dedicating new funding to early childhood in U.S. history.
““Communities are consistently dedicated to investing in their kids.””
— Olivia Allen, co-founder and vice president of strategy and advocacy at the Children’s Funding Project, quoted by The 74
Two Measures Still Await Final Counts
The results were unofficial as of November 6, and the source report did not provide final certified totals. San Diego County Measure B and Tempe Proposition 424 were still listed as not called or unresolved, with outstanding votes affecting the result. The report’s overall tally counts one measure as failed and two as unresolved, but its listed proposals also include a failed St. Louis measure; readers should treat the reported totals and individual statuses as preliminary rather than a completed certification.
It is also not clear from the available material how much each approved measure will ultimately generate, when all funding will become available, or how many children and families will be served. The proposals differ in tax structure, duration, eligible uses and geographic reach, so the tally does not offer a single comparable estimate of their combined financial effect. Nor does passage alone establish how programs will be administered or whether childcare costs for families will fall.
Certification Will Settle the Tally
Election officials still need to count outstanding ballots and certify results before the two unresolved outcomes can be treated as final. The Children’s Funding Project’s comparison with 2020 also depends on those final results holding; the report does not present the record claim as settled. Once results are certified, the next practical milestones will vary by measure, including any required tax collection, creation or expansion of funds, and decisions about which programs receive support.
For families, providers and local governments, the vote count is only the first stage. The measures’ implementation details and later budget or program decisions will show how much money is raised and how it is used. The available report does not give a shared timetable for those steps, so the funding effects will need to be tracked locally as officials put approved proposals into effect.
Key Questions
How many early-childhood funding measures passed in 2026?
Nine of 12 measures in the reported tally passed, based on unofficial results cited by The 74 and the Children’s Funding Project as of November 6. One failed and two remained unresolved or had significant outstanding votes.
Did the 2026 election set a record?
That was not confirmed in the report. Olivia Allen said 2026 would narrowly exceed 2020 as the year with the most successful ballot measures dedicated to early-childhood funding if the winning results hold after remaining votes are counted.
Which measures were still unresolved?
The report listed San Diego County Measure B and Tempe Proposition 424 as not yet called. Their reported yes shares were 51.62% and 40.39%, respectively, but outstanding votes meant the results were not final.
What kinds of funding did voters approve?
Approved proposals included property, parcel and lodging taxes, a state tax measure, an allocation of budget surplus, a fund using existing city revenue, and renewal of an existing sales tax. Their programs and eligible uses differ, so they do not represent one standardized approach to childcare funding.
When will the approved funding reach families?
The source report does not provide a common start date or estimated funding amount. Timing will depend on each measure’s implementation, including revenue collection and decisions about how funds are allocated.
Source: the74million.org
