WHEATLAND – In an on-air interview with local radio host Kent Smith on KZEW 101.7 FM last week, two of Platte County’s elected officials shared information on ballot measures which will appear on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.
Platte County assessor Dannette Eppel and clerk Malcolm Ervin emphasized their intent in the interview was to share information about the ballot questions, not to sway voters in any way. The first item on the ballot they discussed was a proposed change to the Wyoming constitution which would create a fourth subclass of owner-occupied residential properties for taxation purposes.
Eppel explained, currently, there are three property tax classes: minerals, industrial, all other real and personal property. The new measure will add residential real property to the list.
If approved by Wyoming voters, the measure would allow the legislature to define the meaning of “residential property” beginning in the January 2025 session, and to set rules for taxing the new class of occupied primary residences within the state, according to the guidelines set forth in the Wyoming Constitution.

Ervin pointed out, each vote literally counts with ballot measures involving constitutional amendments. He explained, they are counted differently than other items on the ballot because even if a voter doesn’t fill in either the “For” or “Against” bubble, it will still be counted as a “no” vote. To pass, the measure will require approval of 51 percent of all voters who participate in the election.
In contrast, other ballot measures simply count the bubbles that are filled in, and if nothing is selected, it is counted as an “undervote” and does not count in the election.
Eppel invited Platte County residents to call or stop by the Assessor’s office, she’d be happy to help clarify the proposed amendment and how it could affect local taxes.
Only an abbreviated description of the proposed constitutional amendment will be on the ballot because of space limitations, however the entire text as presented by the legislature can be read in a legal advertisement on page 6 of this week’s issue of the Guernsey Gazette.
Another ballot question will be whether to continue a one percent Platte County Lodging Tax. Ervin explained the Platte County Lodging Tax Board is in charge of the funds collected through the tax of individuals paying for temporary lodging, such as hotels, motels, RV and camping spaces. The funds must be used to promote tourism in Platte County.
Previously local voters approved three percent funding for the tax board, but in 2022, the Wyoming legislature approved a five percent lodging tax to be collected by the State, who keeps three percent for statewide tourism promotion and two percent to be distributed to the county in which the tax was collected, for the same purpose. Ervin said the requested one percent which will be on the ballot will allow the local lodging tax board to continue to have the same budget amount they have operated on since the lodging tax was first approved by Platte County voters.