The Measure A Ordinance and Investment Plan was approved by Santa Barbara County voters on November 4, 2008.  The Santa Barbara County Elections Office's certified the final election results on December 2, 2008 and these results show the measure passing with 79% of the vote (a two-thirds majority is required). The vote totals were:

YES - 130,278 (79.15%)
NO - 34,309 (20.85%)

Click here (pdf) for the election results by community for Measure A and Measure D.

Overall voter support for the local transportation sales tax increased from 54% in 2006 to 79% in 2008.  Support was very strong in all parts of Santa Barbara County.  North County voters supported Measure A with 75% of the vote and South County voters favored the measure with 82% of the vote.  Every community in Santa Barbara County supported Measure A by more than a two-thirds majority.  The yes vote percentages from each of the county’s incorporated cities are as follows: Carpinteria & Guadalupe – 84%, Santa Barbara - 82% Goleta – 81%, Santa Maria – 79%, Buellton – 76%, Solvang – 77%, Lompoc – 75%.

The success of Measure A is both historic and in many ways without precedent:

• Santa Barbara County voters have never before passed a two-thirds majority ballot measure.

• The original Measure D received 54.98% in 1989 (simple majority required).  In 2006, Measure D received 54.47%.  Support for Measure A increased by nearly 25% in 2008

• North County support increased from 42% in 2006 to 75% in 2008 – a 33% increase.

• South County voters also increased their support from 64% in 2006 to 82% in 2008.

• The number of “yes” votes cast for Measure A more than doubled the number of yes votes cast for Measure D in 2006 (63,407).

• Measure A received more yes votes from county voters than any other candidate, state ballot proposition or local measure.  Except for candidates running unopposed, Measure A received a higher percentage of voter support than any other candidate, state proposition or local measure.

• Since 1984, there have been 56 county transportation sales tax elections in California.  Measure A’s 79.15% support is the fourth highest level of support ever achieved in the state.

 There were a total of seven counties with transportation sales tax measures on the ballot last November.  Santa Barbara (79%), Imperial (84%), Los Angeles (68%), Sonoma-Marin (70%) and Santa Clara (67%) passed.  Monterey County’s measure failed (62%) and so too did Stanislaus, which lost by 450 votes out of 156,000 cast (66.42%).