Louisville Voters Reject Historic Preservation Tax

Early results show a majority of Louisville voters opposing Ballot Issue 2B, a historic-preservation sales and use tax, as five of six Home Rule Charter amendments pass.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in City Hall

Louisville Voters Reject Historic Preservation Tax

Live Poll

Should Louisville keep funding historic preservation through a sales tax?

Early results show a majority of Louisville voters rejecting Ballot Issue 2B, a historic-preservation sales and use tax, with 3,672 votes in favor and 4,163 against as of about 7:30 p.m. Voters approved five of six amendments to the city's Home Rule Charter in the same early returns.

Why it matters

The tax, first approved in 2008 and extended in 2017, funds the Historic Preservation Fund and is set to expire Dec. 31, 2028, so the vote shapes how the city pays for preserving its historic sites. Louisville voters' decisions on the charter amendments also change the city's governing rules, including petition signature requirements.

Ballot 2B drew 3,672 votes in favor and 4,163 against in early returns, while Ballot 2D drew 5,542 in favor and 1,791 against. Final certified totals remain pending as the count continues.

The players

Louisville, Colorado

A city in Boulder County whose voters decided the local ballot measures, and which is home to the Louisville Historical Museum that receives a share of the tax revenue.

The details

Polls closed at 7 p.m. on election night. The historic-preservation tax carries a 0.125% sales and use rate, with 20% of its revenue dedicated to the Louisville Historical Museum, and would fund the Historic Preservation Fund. Charter amendments under review would raise the initiative petition requirement from 810 to 1,215 signatures and the referendum requirement from 405 to 810 signatures.

2008: Voters first approved the historic-preservation tax.
2017: Voters extended the tax and expanded its uses.
Nov. 3, 2026, 7 p.m.: Polls closed for the election.
Dec. 31, 2028: The current historic-preservation tax expires.

Legal Context

Louisville's voters are weighing six amendments to their Home Rule Charter, the city's governing document, alongside a tax renewal that depends on the city's existing preservation framework. Five amendments passed in early returns, shifting how residents can initiate measures and reshaping the city's ballot-driven decision-making.

If Ballot 2B fails, the city's historic-preservation sales tax will not be renewed, which would end funding for the Historic Preservation Fund when the current tax expires Dec. 31, 2028. Charter changes that raise petition signature requirements would make it harder for residents to place initiatives or referendums on future ballots.

The takeaway

Ballot results can shift as counts continue, so residents should watch for certified totals before drawing conclusions about the city's preservation funding and charter rules.

What happens next

Vote counts will be updated as ballots are tallied, and final certified results will determine whether Ballot 2B and the charter amendments take effect.