Library levy lid lift is narrowly passing

Published 1:30 am Thursday, April 30, 2026

PORT ANGELES — Clallam County voters were narrowly passing a levy lid lift for the North Olympic Library System in initial returns.

The measure received 51.21 percent approval (8,716 votes) to 48.79 percent rejection (8,304 votes) when results were released just after 8 p.m. Tuesday.

“We’re waiting for the additional results to come in and hope that trend continues at that time in our favor of the ‘yes’ vote,” NOLS Executive Director Noah Glaude said. “But we’re being patient and thankful for the folks at the auditor’s office for their work and making sure every ballot is counted.”

The next update was expected at 5 p.m. Wednesday, which was after press time.

“We’re being cautiously optimistic at this time and we’re grateful for the voters who voted for this issue,” Glaude said. “We know that any increase at this time is a big ask, and we did not take that lightly.”

Throughout the past several months, Glaude said he’s attended dozens of community meetings to discuss the levy lid lift and has heard from people all over the county.

“Regardless of the results here, we’ll continue to offer great service to everyone,” he said.

There was a 29 percent voter turnout, with 17,033 ballots cast out of 59,720 registered voters, according to the Office of the Secretary of State.

“We think the turnout was pretty high for a special election,” Glaude said. “That turnout rate just showed that I think the community was engaged and interested in this library proposition. That’s good for the democratic process.”

The library system asked voters for an increase from $0.28 per $1,000 of assessed property value to $0.45 per $1,000 to provide continued funding for public library operations.

A simple majority is needed to pass.

“When those results are finalized, or more certain in the coming days, we’ll determine how to move forward,” Glaude said. “If the levy doesn’t pass, we’ll have to make some hard decisions about cutting staff, services and hours beginning in 2027. We’re expecting the same level of service in 2026, and we’ll continue offering our services beyond if the levy does not pass.”

If the levy does not pass, and if property values increase in Clallam County, the levy rate for the library system could fall below the current $0.28 per $1,000 of assessed property value, Glaude said.

“Folks think just because their property values go up, they think the library is receiving that same increase over the years and that has not been the case,” he said. “The big thing we’ve kind of stressed to folks is, for example, the amount of taxable assessed value has increased 108 percent since our last levy lid lift took effect, and the increase to the library has been 18 percent in that time. They’re not always interlinked there, as folks think.”

The last voter-approved levy for the library system was passed in 2010 and set the levy rate at $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, but that rate has declined to the current $0.28 per $1,000 since that time, library officials have said.

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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.