St. Louis County voters rejected Proposition S on Tuesday, Nov. 3, turning down a property tax increase that would have created a fund for senior services.
The measure failed with 58.49% of voters casting ballots against it, according to final unofficial results reported by West Newsmagazine and St. Louis Call Newspapers.
The defeat means property owners in Chesterfield, Wildwood, Ballwin, Ellisville and across the county will not pay the additional tax proposed by Proposition S. The levy would have added 5 cents per $100 of assessed property value, or about $19 per year on a home appraised at $200,000.
Proposition S Results
Final unofficial results as of Nov. 4, 2026. Source: St. Louis Call Newspapers and West Newsmagazine.
| Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
No (against) | 221,389 | 58.49% |
Yes (for) | 157,148 | 41.51% |
Total votes reported | 378,537 |
|
St. Louis County voter turnout was 61.43%, with 394,546 of 642,247 registered voters casting ballots, according to St. Louis Call Newspapers. Results have not been formally certified.
What the Measure Would Have Done
Prop S would have established a Senior Citizen Services Fund in St. Louis County. The tax was projected to raise roughly $16 million to $17 million a year, according to a KSDK voter guide published before the election. An appointed board would have distributed the money to nonprofits serving residents 60 and older.
One in four county residents falls in that age group, according to the voter guide.
Supporters Respond
Ed Rhode, a spokesman for the campaign supporting Prop S, said in a statement that the results were disappointing but that affordability concerns were valid, St. Louis Public Radio reported.
"This outcome doesn't change the growing needs of our older adults," Rhode said, according to St. Louis Public Radio. "We will actively pursue other ways to deliver the vital home-based services and support our seniors rely upon."
Second Defeat in a Decade
This is the second time county voters have turned down a senior services levy. A similar measure failed in 2016 by about 13,000 votes, according to the KSDK voter guide. Pre-election reporting identified no organized opposition campaign to the 2026 measure.
The results remain unofficial and have not yet been certified by the St. Louis County Board of Elections.
