Election administration in Wyoming
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.
Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Wyoming:
Poll times[edit]
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Wyoming, all polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Voter registration[edit]
- Check your voter information here.
To vote in Wyoming, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Wyoming, at least 18 years of age, not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court, and not convicted of a felony unless pardoned or otherwise had their rights restored.[3]
The registration deadline is 14 days before the election, but voters may also register and vote on the same day during the absentee voting period or on election day. There are three ways to register to vote in Wyoming: in person at the office of the county or town clerk, by mail the by submitting a completed application form to the county clerk, or at the polls on Election Day.[3][4]
Automatic registration[edit]
Wyoming does not practice automatic voter registration.[5]
Online registration[edit]
- See also: Online voter registration
Wyoming does not permit online voter registration.[5]
Same-day registration[edit]
Wyoming allows same-day voter registration.[6]
Residency requirements[edit]
To register to vote in Wyoming, you must be a resident of a precinct in the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.[6]
Verification of citizenship[edit]
Wyoming does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.[6] An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy[edit]
Early voting[edit]
- See also: Early voting
Wyoming permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Wyoming. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[7]
No specific deadline is noted for absentee ballot applications. A completed absentee ballot must be received by election officials by 7 p.m. on Election Day.[7]
Returning absentee/mail-in ballots[edit]
Voters in Wyoming must return their absentee ballots to their county clerk's office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters may return their ballot in person or by mail. Ballots received after the deadline are not counted.[8]
Wyoming's laws do not specify who is allowed to return absentee ballots.[9]
Signature requirements and cure provisions[edit]
Absentee voters in Wyoming must sign a statement attesting to their identity and eligibility to vote. Election judges examine the signatures on absentee ballots and reject ballots that lack a signature or that have other problems with the attestation. Rejected ballots are not counted. Wyoming does not have a cure provision, or a law providing for a process where election officials follow up with voters whose absentee ballots contain a signature discrepancy or lack the requisite signature.[5][10]
Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?[edit]
Wyoming voters can contact their county clerk's office for information about the status of their ballot.
Voter identification requirements[edit]
- See also: Voter ID in Wyoming
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Wyoming requires voters to present identification when voting. Generally, voters are required to present a photo ID, but there are two exceptions to that requirement that expire in 2029.
The following list of accepted ID was current as of 2024. Click here for the Wyoming Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.[11][12]
| “ |
(I) A Wyoming driver's license as defined by W.S. 31‑7‑102(a)(xxv); |
” |
As of April 2024, 35 states required voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 required voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 11 accepted other forms of identification. The remaining 16 states did not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.
Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.
Provisional ballot rules[edit]
Voters in Wyoming are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.[14][15][16]
(1) If the voter attempts to register to vote on election day and the voter does not have the proof required to vote, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
- The voter "has until the close of business on the day following the election to present documentation to the county clerk establishing their eligibility to register and to vote in the precinct."
(2) If the voter has registered by mail and is voting in their first Wyoming federal election but does not have the required identification, the voter has the right to case a provisional ballot
- The voter "has until the close of business on the day following the election to present documentation to the county clerk establishing their eligibility to register and to vote in the precinct."
(3) If a voter’s eligibility to vote is challenged, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
(4) If the polls are kept open later because of a court order, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
A provisional ballot is rejected if "[t]he voter is not on the registration rolls and is registering for the first time on Election Day but did not present documentation at the polls or by close of business on the following day."[17]
Was your provisional ballot counted?[edit]
Wyoming provisional ballots include directions on how to check whether your ballot was counted.[14]
Local election officials[edit]
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Primary election type[edit]
- See also: Primary elections in Wyoming
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Wyoming utilizes a closed primary process.[18][19]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Time off work for voting[edit]
In Wyoming, employees who do not have three consecutive hours to vote during their non-work period must be provided with one hour of paid leave at their employer's convenience:
| “ | (a) Any person entitled to vote at any primary or general election or special election to fill a vacancy in the office of representatives in the congress of the United States is, on the day of such election, entitled to absent himself from any service or employment in which he is then engaged or employed for a period of one (1) hour, other than meal hours, the hour being at the convenience of the employer, between the time of opening and closing of the polls. Such elector shall not, because of so absenting himself, lose any pay, providing he actually casts his legal vote.
(b) This section shall not apply to an employee who has three (3) or more consecutive nonworking hours during the time the polls are open.[20][13] |
” |
As of September 2024, 28 states required employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies varied as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]
According to the Wyoming Department of Corrections, "Effective July 1, 2023, W.S. §7-13-105 will allow individuals that are convicted as a first time, non-violent felon, to have their right to vote, along with the rights lost as outlined in W.S. §6-10-106 to be restored. The rights restored under W.S. §7-13-105 include the ability to be an elector or juror or to hold any office of honor, trust or profit within this state or to use or knowingly possess any firearm."[21]
Voting rights are restored for individuals convicted of other, non-disqualifying felonies five years after the completion of their sentence, including probation and parole, so long as they have not been convicted on another state or federal felony charge.[21]
Individuals convicted of disqualifying felonies never automatically regain the right to vote. According to the Wyoming Department of Corrections, "If you have been convicted of any of the violent felonies defined in W.S 6-1-104(a)(xii) , you are ineligible for the rights restoration process. Offenses include murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, sexual assault in the first or second degree, robbery, aggravated assault, strangulation of a household member, aircraft hijacking, arson in the first or second degree, aggravated burglary, a violation of W.S. 6-2-314(a)(i) or 6-2-315(a)(ii) or a third, or subsequent, domestic battery under W.S. 6-2-511(a) and (b)(iii), and Interference with a Peace Officer W.S. 6-5-204(b)."[21][22]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[5]
Voter list maintenance[edit]
All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).[23] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.[24]
When names can be removed from the voter list[edit]
Wyoming law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:[25][26]
- does not vote in any general election
- dies
- is determined to have moved out of the county or state or registered to vote in another jurisdiction
- requests in writing to be removed from the list
- is disqualified for being adjudicated as mentally incompetent or convicted of a felony
Inactive voter list rules[edit]
Wyoming does not maintain an inactive voter list. State law authorizes county clerks to investigate the qualifications of any voter and to conduct an investigation using criteria such as their address, vehicle registration, employment, property ownership, and residency qualifications. If a clerk determines an individual to be unqualified to vote in Wyoming, they are to remove their name from the registration list and send an immediate notice to the individual. The removed voter holds a right to appeal their removal.[27]
The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)[edit]
According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."[28]
By 2022, 33 states and the District of Columbia had joined ERIC. As of May 2024, 24 states and the District of Columbia were members in the ERIC program.[29]
As of May 2024, Wyoming was not participating in the ERIC program.
Post-election auditing[edit]
Wyoming state law requires post-election audits. County election officials audit a statistically significant sample of ballots not to exceed 5% the total number of ballots cast. The audit must be completed by the first Thursday following an election. County clerks deliver audit results to the secretary of state no later than the day before the state canvass deadline.[30] Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.[31][32]
Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.
As of October 2024, 49 states and the District of Columbia had some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia required traditional post-election audits, while six states required risk-limiting post-election audits by law. Eight states used some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.[33][34]
Noteworthy events[edit]
Governor signs House Bill 0075 into law (2021)[edit]
On April 6, 2021, Governor Mark Gordon (R) signed HB0075 into law, establishing a photo identification requirement for voters in Wyoming. Under the law, acceptable forms of identification include valid forms of photo identification issued by a state, tribal or federal government, a Wyoming higher educational institution or public school, and Medicare and Medicaid insurance cards. Voters who cannot present acceptable identification are permitted to cast provisional ballots. The Department of Transportation is required to waive the fee on identification cards used solely for the purpose of voter identification.[12]
The Wyoming House of Representatives approved the original version of the bill on March 3, 2021, by a vote of 51-9. The Wyoming State Senate adopted an amended version of the bill on April 1, 2021, by a vote of 28-2. The House agreed to the Senate's amendments on April 1, 2021, by a vote of 51-8.[12]
Rep. Chuck Gray (R), who sponsored the bill, said, "Today's passage of my voter ID legislation is a victory for the citizens of Wyoming. It is a necessary function of our Republic to provide our citizens with confidence that our elections are secure, fair, and valid." Sen. Cale Case (R), who voted against the bill, said, "Who is waking up real early in the morning, and thinking they’re going to get to the polls before the actual person that is there to vote to misrepresent themselves as that person and to cast a vote? I’m having a little trouble understanding how this fraud comes about."[35]
Election policy ballot measures[edit]
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Wyoming.
- Wyoming Special Session, Constitutional Amendment B (2002)
- Wyoming Suffrage Not Based on Mental Status, Amendment B (1996)
- Wyoming Legislature Appointments and Elections, Amendment 3 (1972)
- Wyoming Qualifications of Electors, Amendment 2 (1970)
- Wyoming Initiative and Referendum, Amendment 2 (1968)
[edit]
The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Wyoming. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker[edit]
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
The Ballot Bulletin[edit]
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Click here to view recent issues and subscribe.
Ballot access[edit]
In order to get on the ballot in Wyoming, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.
This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Wyoming. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting[edit]
- See also: Redistricting in Wyoming
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Wyoming's one United States Representative and 90 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[36][37][38][39]
Wyoming was apportioned one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Wyoming after the 2020 census.
State process[edit]
- See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures
Wyoming is home to one at-large congressional district, making congressional redistricting unnecessary. State legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature. State legislative district plans are subject to veto by the governor.[40]
In 2011, a joint legislative committee adopted the following guidelines for state legislative redistricting:[40]
- Districts should be contiguous and compact.
- Districts should "reflect a community of interest."
- Districts should "consider significant geographic features."
- "A majority of the population of each county" should reside within a single district.
- "Consideration should be given to nesting two House districts in each state Senate district."
Election administration agencies[edit]
Election agencies[edit]
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Wyoming can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Wyoming County Clerks
Wyoming Secretary of State, Elections Division
- Herschler Building East
- 122 West 25th Street, Suite 100
- Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002-0020
- Phone: 307-777-5860
- Email: elections@wyo.gov
- Website: http://soswy.state.wy.us/elections/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's election coverage[edit]
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Democratic primaries, 2024
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2024
See also[edit]
- 2024 election dates and deadlines
- Voting in Wyoming
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Wyoming
- Redistricting in Wyoming
Elections in Wyoming[edit]
- Wyoming elections, 2024
- Wyoming elections, 2023
- Wyoming elections, 2022
- Wyoming elections, 2021
- Wyoming elections, 2020
- Wyoming elections, 2019
- Wyoming elections, 2018
- Wyoming elections, 2017
- Wyoming elections, 2016
- Wyoming elections, 2015
- Wyoming elections, 2014
External links[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "Election Frequently Asked Questions, General Voting information", accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wyoming Secretary of State, "Voting," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "Welcome to the FAQs ," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed July 30, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ncsl" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Wyoming Secretary of State, "Welcome to the FAQs," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Wyoming Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting Information," accessed May 1, 2023
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting in Wyoming," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voting Outside the Polling Place: Absentee, All-Mail and Other Voting at Home Options," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "WY Stat § 22-9-121 (2019)," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "WY Stat § 22-1-102 (2022)," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Wyoming Legislature, "HB0075 - Voter identification," accessed May 2, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "WyomingHB0075" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "WyomingHB0075" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 13.0 13.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Wyoming Secretary of State, "Wyoming Secretary of State Rules for Using Provisional Ballots," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ FindLaw, "Wyoming Statutes Title 22. Elections § 22-3-118. Proof of identity," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ FindLaw, "Wyoming Statutes Title 22. Elections § 22-15-104. Grounds for challenge," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Provisional Ballots," accessed November 4, 2022
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "Welcome to the FAQs," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ FindLaw, "Wyoming Statutes Title 22. Elections § 22-2-111. Employees time off to vote," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Wyoming Department of Corrections, "Restoration of Rights," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ As of May 2024, the Justice Department notes, "Six States (Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) are exempt from the NVRA because, on and after August 1, 1994, they either had no voter-registration requirements or had election-day voter registration at polling places with respect to elections for federal office."
- ↑ The United States Department of Justice, "The National Voter Registration Act of 1993," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ FindLaw, "Wyoming Statutes Title 22. Elections § 22-3-115. Grounds for cancellation of registration," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ FindLaw, "Wyoming Statutes Title 22. Elections § 22-3-102. Qualifications; temporary registration," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ FindLaw, "Wyoming Statutes Title 22. Elections § 22-3-105. Investigation of voter qualifications; striking names from registry; criteria; notice; appeal," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ ERIC, "FAQ," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ ERIC, "Who We Are," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed August 22, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ Casper Star Tribune, "Voter ID bill passes Wyoming Legislature," April 9, 2021
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 All About Redistricting, "Wyoming," accessed April 28, 2015
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