Your Nov. 3 school ballot: six bonds, three operating millages across Oakland County

Voters in nine Oakland County school districts will decide school funding questions on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, ballot: six bond proposals for buildings and facilities, and three non-homestead operating millages.

The list below comes from the Oakland County Clerk's official proposal list, updated Sept. 9.

The measures

District	Measure	Amount	Terms
Birmingham	Bond	$240M	Up to 3.80 mills; 0.84 mills in year 1; 20 years
Farmington	Bond	$171M	Up to 3.20 mills; first phase of about $390M in needs
Holly	Bond	$97.6M	3.45 mills in 2027; 30 years
Lake Orion	Bond	$115.985M	Up to 7.00 mills
Lamphere	Bond	$47.34M	2.50 mills; 30 years
Royal Oak	Bond	$165M	Up to 2.20 mills; 15 years
Ferndale	Non-homestead operating	$6.74M est. in 2027	18 mills levied, 2027–2046
Oxford	Non-homestead operating	About $7M a year	18 mills, 10 years
Waterford	Non-homestead operating	$17.7M est. in 2026	18 mills levied, 2026–2035

The Oakland Press has cited Birmingham's bond as $270 million. The official ballot language lists $240 million.

Bonds vs. operating millages

Bond proposals pay for buildings, renovations and other capital projects. Non-homestead operating millages apply only to non-homestead property, such as businesses, rentals and second homes, not to a homeowner's primary residence. That money is part of the per-pupil funding districts receive under Michigan's Proposal A system.

Repeat requests

Several districts are coming back after recent losses:

• Lamphere is making its third try in two years. Bond proposals failed in May and November 2025.
• Lake Orion voters narrowly rejected a $272 million bond in November 2025, 49.6% to 50.3%. This year's request is $115.985 million.
• Oxford's millage failed in November 2025 and again in August 2026 by 23 votes. The board has approved a contingency plan to close Leonard Elementary and add pay-to-participate fees if it fails again.
• Waterford's millage lost by 865 votes in August.

The August backdrop

The countywide school enhancement millage also failed in August, 51.1% to 48.9%, according to the Oakland Press. The loss cost Ferndale planned 2.5% raises and prompted Novi to cut three positions.

What voters should do

School proposals appear only on ballots in the districts asking for them, and school district lines don't always follow city or township boundaries. Check your sample ballot to see which proposals you'll be voting on.

This story uses information from the Oakland County Clerk and reporting from the Oakland County Times and the Oakland Press.