Levy Case Study

How will you impact a child’s world?

In January 2020, the Nampa School District approached Peppershock Media with a challenging task. The district’s supplemental school levy—a local ballot measure that provides funding for essential programs, staff, and educational resources beyond the standard state allocation—had failed in 2019 by a margin of just 10 votes. District leaders believed many community members either didn’t fully understand what the levy would fund or how it would benefit the community as a whole. With the measure returning to the ballot in March 2020, Peppershock was tasked with building awareness, educating voters, and encouraging participation on Election Day.

The initial strategy centered on presenting the public with compelling facts, figures, and statistics that demonstrated everything the levy would make possible if approved.

While data is important, our target audience, women 55+, was unlikely to be persuaded by numbers alone. Peppershock recommended balancing those facts with messaging that highlighted the levy’s real-world impact on students, families, and the broader Nampa community. The district embraced the approach, shifting the campaign from simply explaining the levy to illustrating why it mattered.

The Results

Using a coordinated mix of marketing channels and an accelerated campaign timeline, Peppershock helped increase community awareness and voter participation. Overall turnout rose by approximately 40 percent compared with the November 2019 election, increasing from 7,478 to 12,342 voters. The levy ultimately passed with 56% voting in favor.