Jefferson County voters weighed three local funding measures alongside their commissioner and statewide races on May 19, 2026 — and the results were mixed. The Jefferson County Library District's bond measure was rejected for the second time in two years, while levies for road maintenance and fire protection in the Camp Sherman area passed with solid margins.
Library Bond: Fails Again
The Jefferson County Library District's bond measure — which would have funded construction of a new library building directly across the street from the current facility at 241 S.E. Seventh Street in Madras — was defeated by approximately 65% of voters.
The proposal also included plans to convert the existing library building into a community center, a feature organizers hoped would broaden the measure's appeal. Proponents argued the current building is aging and inadequate for a growing county.
For a homeowner with a $300,000 assessed home value, the bond would have cost roughly $123 per year.
A similar library bond measure failed in 2025 as well, leaving the district's expansion hopes on indefinite hold. Library district officials have not announced whether they plan to bring a revised measure back to voters in a future election.
Camp Sherman Road District Levy: Passes 80%
Voters in the Camp Sherman Road District #18 renewed an existing tax levy with an overwhelming 79.74% in favor. The levy renewal does not raise rates for current taxpayers — it simply continues an existing funding stream. Revenue from the levy is earmarked for road maintenance and safety in the Camp Sherman area and is projected to generate $26,593 for the 2027–28 fiscal year.
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Levy: Passes 65%
The Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District's new levy also passed, with approximately 64.67% of voters approving the measure. The levy will fund additional firefighter-paramedic positions for a district that has seen a 65% increase in emergency calls over the past 15 years with no corresponding increase in staffing.
For a homeowner with a $300,000 home, the levy represents roughly $220 per year in additional property taxes.
Fire district officials said the additional staffing is critical heading into what forecasters are calling a potentially severe 2026 wildfire season, with Central Oregon already operating under summer burn restrictions that took effect May 4.
Overall Picture
The results reflect a familiar dynamic in Jefferson County: voters are generally supportive of renewing existing levies for services like roads and fire protection, but remain skeptical of new bond debt for capital projects. The library district, which has now tried and failed twice to secure bond funding, faces a genuine challenge in making the case for expansion in a county where many residents are already stretching household budgets.