A Big Winner in the 2026 Elections? Early Childhood Funding

In the 2026 midterm elections, a record number of communities voted on dedicated funding for children , according to Children’s Funding Project, a national nonprofit focused on public financing for children and youth. The group’s analysis found early childhood funding on the ballot in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri and Texas. This is a trend that will continue, according to Olivia Allen, co-founder and vice president of strategy and advocacy at the nonprofit.

“[It’s] been building over the last decade, where we saw five, six or seven funds pass on even-year election nights, regardless of the political and economic climate each year. Communities are consistently dedicated to investing in their kids,” said Allen.

Ballot measures have become a more popular way to secure early care and education funding. While polling data shows that Americans want help with childcare costs, few state legislatures have taken major action. A ballot measure that identifies a dedicated, sustainable funding source can provide steady year-over-year money to build childcare infrastructure. By contrast, legislatures that fund childcare from budget surpluses or one-time federal money, such as the American Rescue Plan, can’t offer providers and families the same certainty.

Related Early Childhood Funding Is Increasingly in Voters’ Hands

This election cycle, which featured 12 ballot measures that included dedicated funding for early childhood, outperformed conventional expectations, Allen said. “There were a lot of questions about whether childcare was an urgent enough priority for voters. In this economic environment we were in, would voters tax themselves? The sheer numbers of wins across the country is a resounding yes,” she added. Out of the 12 ballot measures, nine passed, one failed and two are too close to call or have significant outstanding votes to be counted, according to unofficial results from Ballotpedia and Children’s Funding Project as of November 6. If the winning results hold as the final ballots are counted, 2026 will narrowly eclipse 2020 as the year with the most successful ballot measures dedicating new funding to early childhood in U.S. history, said Allen.

Here’s a look at the early childhood ballot measures voters weighed in on in the 2026 midterms, and where the results stand:

Statewide

Colorado

Proposition NN : Would raise the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap, dedicate a portion of the budget surplus to K-12 education, and allocate the remaining funds to a new children’s account that can be used for preschool and childcare.

Votes : Yes: 56.65% | No: 43.35%

Colorado

Colorado Amendment 87 : Would create a graduated income tax, ranging from 3.7% to 8.4%, to fund K-12 education, healthcare and childcare.

Votes : Yes: 51.37% | No: 48.63%

Citywide

Baltimore

Baltimore Baby Fund Amendment : Would set aside existing city revenue to create a Baby Fund, which would support the city’s families with newborns.

Passed

Votes : Yes: 71.19% | No: 28.81%

St. Louis

City Proposition B, Early Childhood Education Fund Sales Tax Measure: Would impose a citywide sales tax that would fund an Early Childhood Education fund.

Failed

Votes : Yes: 47.20% | No: 52.80%

Related After Years of Small Fixes, Big Ideas for Childcare Are Emerging

Countywide

Archuleta County, Colorado

Ballot Issue 1A : Would increase county lodging taxes and designate a portion for childcare for the local workforce.

Passed

Votes : Yes: 68.20% | No: 31.80%

Boulder County, Colorado

Ballot Issue 1A: Would increase the county’s property taxes and direct the funds toward early care and education.

Passed

Votes : Yes: 58.31% | No: 41.69%

Clear Creek County, Colorado

Ballot Issue 1A: Would increase county lodging taxes with a portion of revenue going toward childcare for the tourism-related workforce.

Passed

Votes : Yes: 52.89% | No: 47.11%

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Childcare / Early Learning Millage : Created an eight-year property tax to fund childcare and early childhood programs for children 0 to 5 years old and their caregivers. *This measure was added to the county’s primary election in August .

Passed

Votes : Yes: 62.75% | No: 37.25%

Marin County, California

Measure P, Parcel Tax for Child Care Initiative : Would create a parcel tax of 5 cents per building square foot for 15 years to fund affordable childcare and high-quality early childhood education and to improve compensation for early educators.

Passed

Votes : Yes: 53.46% | No: 46.54%

San Antonio County, Texas

Proposition A, Pre-K 4 SA Sales Tax Renewal Measure : Would renew and extend the county’s existing sales tax, which funds the Pre-K 4 SA Early Childhood Education Program through 2049. The measure originally passed in 2012.

Passed

Votes : Yes: 72.56% | No: 27.44%

San Diego County, California

Measure B, Issue Sales Tax to Fund Health, Family, Environmental Protection, and Public Safety Services Initiative : Would issue a 0.5% sales tax to fund healthcare, family services, environmental protection and public safety, with a portion of revenue dedicated to children’s development and childcare.

Not Yet Called

Votes : Yes: 51.62% | No: 48.38%

Tempe County, Arizona

Proposition 424: Creation of a 0.5% sales tax with a portion of those funds dedicated to childcare.

Not yet called

Votes : Yes: 40.39% and No: 59.61%