Voters on July 31 were moving to recall City Councilor Steve Dillard over potential age restrictions at the Seaside Public Library.

With most of the votes counted in Ward 1, the recall was passing 63% to 37%.

Jessica Greenlee, of Freedom to Read Seaside, said she was excited to see so many people willing to defend freedom of speech and the right to read.

“I hope we find someone who’s willing to listen to what residents need in this town and focus on the priorities of the people who live here,” Greenlee said. “That’s what I hope for. I really wish we could have gotten there with Mr. Dillard, and it’s unfortunate that we had to go this route.”

Dillard could not immediately be reached for comment.

On a website in response to the recall drive, Dillard said he had been “targeted, slandered, and relentlessly attacked” for his willingness to speak up about sexually explicit materials available to minors at the library.

Dillard has also criticized The Astorian, claiming coverage of the issue wrongly led people to believe he was behind unsuccessful challenges to two children’s books at the library.

Dillard has said he “was approached by residents who had concerns about the content of books for children in our library. After learning from city staff about our library reconsideration process, I informed these residents of the process; some of these residents then submitted requests to the library for the reconsideration of two books from the children’s section.”

The Library Board voted in January to keep the two children’s books — “And Tango Makes Three” and “When Aidan Became a Brother” — on the shelves.

Dillard has cited two books promoted by the library during freedom to read week for having sexually explicit content: “Looking for Alaska” and “A Court of Mist and Fury.”

The recall petition was filed in May by R.J. Marx on behalf of Freedom to Read Seaside. Marx is a former editor of the Seaside Signal and South County reporter for The Astorian. His wife, Eve, serves on the Library Board.

Marx and others objected to Dillard’s call for age restrictions at the library and Dillard’s criticism of library leadership and policy. People in favor of the recall cast the issue as fighting against censorship and preserving intellectual freedom.

While the recall drive drew attention and some strong reactions in Seaside and across the North Coast, voter turnout was so far only at 35% of registered voters in Ward 1.

Ballots postmarked by July 31 were counted if received by Aug. 7.

Dillard ran unopposed for a four-year term in 2022. If the recall holds after all votes are counted, the City Council would appoint a replacement to fill out the remainder of his term.