What is the 6th Penny Specific Purpose Tax?

On Tuesday, May 5th there will be a special election to renew the 6th Penny tax. This is Albany County’s 1% Specific Purpose Sales and Use Excise Tax, also called SPET. If approved, the overall local sales and use tax rate in Albany County would stay the same.

What would this fund?

If approved, the 2026 SPET would collect $95 million for specific projects in Albany County, the City of Laramie, Rock River, and the Laramie Regional Airport. The adopted project lists include things like street maintenance and construction, surface water drainage, sidewalk improvements, public safety facilities, a county services building, airport maintenance, sewer work, street lighting, and other infrastructure upgrades. Local governing bodies worked together through public meetings to set those project lists.

You can find more information from the City of Laramie on the 6th Penny Specific Purpose Tax here

What does this do for housing?

While the funding created through this tax would not directly create more homes, it provides significant funding to infrastructure that will support further development:

  • Housing needs infrastructure. Roads, drainage, sidewalks, sewer, water-related systems, and public facilities are part of the foundation communities need to support new homes and neighborhood growth.

  • Strong infrastructure helps communities keep workers and families nearby. When a town has safe roads, reliable public systems, strong public safety, and well-kept community amenities, it becomes easier for people to live, work, and stay.

  • These investments help communities be ready for the future. They support the kind of growth that allows more people to put down roots and helps local communities remain strong, connected, and livable.

How do I vote? The Albany County 6th Penny Special Election is Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Polls are open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Albany County is using Vote Centers for this election. That means you can vote at any Vote Center in the county, no matter which precinct you live in. Paper ballots will be available, along with ADA-compliant ExpressVote machines.

Vote Center locations

  • Albany County Fairgrounds — 3520 US Hwy 287, Laramie

  • Albany County Public Library — 310 S. 8th St, Laramie

  • Laramie Ice & Events Center — 3510 E. Garfield St, Laramie

  • Municipal Operations Center — 4373 N. 3rd St., Laramie

  • Rock River Town Hall — 386 Ave D, Rock River

Registration

  • You can register at the polls on Election Day if you are eligible to vote.

Absentee voting

  • You can request an absentee ballot in person, in writing, by phone, or through the County Clerk’s website.

  • For this special election, there is no absentee polling location in the election building. If you fill out an absentee ballot in person, tables will be available in the courthouse, and you can return your ballot to the secure drop box in the County Clerk’s Election Office, Room 202.

County Clerk contact

  • Phone: 307-721-2546

  • Address: Albany County Clerk, Courthouse, Suite 202, Laramie, WY 82070

For more information on voting, polling locations, and registration click here. 

“6th Penny” Voter Toolkit