Ballot question

City of Lexington: Five-year sales tax of up to 1% for schools

On the ballot in: City of Lexington
Vote: Yes or no
Election: Nov 3, 2026

The question, as printed on the ballot

Should the City of Lexington be authorized to levy a general retail sales tax at a rate not to exceed one percent (1%) to provide revenue that can only be used for construction or major renovation of schools serving the City of Lexington and that the sales tax shall expire on June 30, 2032?

A “Yes” vote means

Authorizes Lexington to levy an additional retail sales tax of up to 1%, used only for construction or major renovation of schools serving the city; the tax would expire June 30, 2032.

A “No” vote means

Lexington is not authorized to levy the additional retail sales tax of up to 1% for school construction.

The city's FAQ estimates the tax would raise about $1,330,000 a year ($6,650,000 over five years) toward about $8.6 million of identified school construction costs.

Sources

Proposed constitutional amendments and local referendums, November 3, 2026: City of Lexington · Virginia Department of Elections
Sample ballot, November 3, 2026 General and Special Elections: City of Lexington · City of Lexington Electoral Board
Frequently Asked Questions About the Local Option Sales Tax Ballot Measure (v2.1, Sept. 21, 2026) · City of Lexington

The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.