The Sales Tax for Transit will be on the ballot in the Douglas County General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The question for Lawrence voters this November is whether to repeal the existing 0.2% sales tax for Lawrence Public Transit and replace it with a sales tax of 0.3% that would fund public transit in Lawrence for the next ten years.

1. If the proposed sales tax ballot measure IS passed, the current sales tax would be repealed and replaced. Collection on the new tax would begin April 1, 2027, and continue through March 31, 2037.
2. If the proposed sales tax ballot measure is NOT passed, the current sales tax at the rate of 0.2% would continue through March 31, 2029.

Continuing at our current 0.2% sales tax rate will result in significant cuts to transit service when we renew our operations contract in 2029. Without any sales tax, Lawrence Transit cannot operate in its current format.

• Transit costs are up significantly across the nation. Staff have been working to cut costs and increase revenues to continue providing the level of service that riders and the Lawrence community rely on.
• Returning fares to our transit system will not replace our need for a sales tax. Fare free or not, the transit budget will remain structurally unbalanced without this 0.1% increase.

Lawrence Transit operates a system that provides about 7,000 rides per day, connecting residents to jobs, education, and other essential services. Transit funding goes toward purchasing and maintaining buses and other transit vehicles, constructing and maintaining transit facilities, and purchasing and maintaining equipment and other public transit needs. Public transit programs include:

• Fixed route transit service, 11 routes that operate 6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• T Lift Paratransit service, a door-to-door paratransit service for those with a disability
• Lawrence Transit On Demand, overnights and Sundays
• Central Station operations, a public transit facility serving the public 6 days a week
• Downtown Station, grant funded and to be built

Find more information, frequently asked questions, and links to City Commission presentations at https://lawrencetransit.org/projects/transit-sales-tax/.

Find more information on voting in Douglas County at https://www.dgcoks.gov/county-clerk/voting-and-elections.