The November 3, 2020 election saw voters across the U.S. pass 13 out of 15 measures supporting public transit, boasting a 92% win rate in 2020. While 3 measures are still awaiting results or confirmation, current results add to the 32 public transit measures already passed by voters this year, bringing this year’s total to 45 out of 49 wins for public transit, a 92% win rate. These results add to a banner year for public transit at the ballot box.
The measures considered Tuesday represent over $38 billion in new funding. Some of last night’s biggest victories for public transit include:
- Prop A in Austin, Texas, which would provide huge investments in bus and rail to manage Austin’s urban growth while providing hundreds of millions of dollars for community-led anti-displacement measures;
- Prop A in San Antonio, Texas, which would allow VIA Metropolitan Transit to continue to operate at its best capacity during the pandemic;
- Measure RR in the Bay Area, CA, which would provide the first dedicated source of funding for Caltrain;
- Prop 1 in Seattle, WA, which would renew a tax that funds bus service and subsidized pass programs for students and other groups; and,
- The Mountain Line mill levy increase in Missoula, MT, which would, among other improvements, fund Missoula’s innovative Zero Fare program.
APTA’s Center for Transportation Excellence tracks all of the measures at its website. Additionally, a quick and easy spreadsheet of the measures can be found here.