Wyoming Senate

Upper house of the Wyoming state legislature

Wyoming State Senate

68th Wyoming State Legislature
Type
Type|

Upper House

Term limits

| None
History

New session started

| January 14, 2025
Leadership

President

Bo Biteman (R)
since January 14, 2025

Vice President

Tim Salazar (R)
since January 14, 2025

Majority Leader

Tara Nethercott (R)
since January 14, 2025

Minority Leader

Mike Gierau (D)
since January 14, 2025

Structure
Seats| 31

Political groups

| Majority

* Republican (29)

Minority

* Democratic (2)

Length of term

| 4 years
Authority| Article 3, Wyoming Constitution
Salary| $150/day + per diem
Elections

Last election

| November 5, 2024
(15 seats)

Next election

| November 3, 2026
(16 seats)
Redistricting| Legislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Wyoming State Capitol
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Website
Wyoming State Legislature

The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 31 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senate meets at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne.

Members of the Senate serve four-year terms without term limits. Term limits were declared unconstitutional by the Wyoming Supreme Court in 2004, overturning a decade-old law that had restricted Senators to three terms (twelve years).

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Wyoming Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions, boards, or justices to the Wyoming Supreme Court.

## Composition of the Senate

[edit]

Affiliation  | Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  |

|
|
|

|  |
Republican | Democratic | Vacant
End of 67th Legislature  | 29  | 2  | 31[a] | 0
Beginning of 68th Legislature  | 29  | 2  | 31  | 0
Latest voting share  | 94%  | 6%  |

1. ^ A 31st district was created during redistricting.

### Leadership

[edit]

Wyoming, along with Arizona, Maine, and Oregon, is one of the four U.S. states to have abolished the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, a position which for most upper houses of state legislatures and indeed for the U.S. Congress (with the Vice President) is at least the nominal head of the legislative body. Instead, a separate position of Senate President is in place, removed from the Wyoming executive branch.

The current Senate President is Republican Bo Biteman of District 21 (Ranchester).

Position | Name | Party | District

|
|
|

President of the Senate | Bo Biteman |  | Republican |  21
Senate Vice President | Tim Salazar |  | Republican | 26
Majority Leader | Tara Nethercott |  | Republican | 4
Minority Leader | Mike Gierau |  | Democratic | 17
Minority Whip | Chris Rothfuss |  | Democratic | 9

### Members of the Wyoming Senate

[edit]

Map of current districts, colored by sitting senator's party

Republican

Democratic

District  | Representative  | Party  | Residence  | Counties Represented  | Nested House districts[1] | First elected  | Next election

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1 | Ogden Driskill |  | Republican  | Devils Tower | Campbell, Crook, Weston | HD 1, HD 52  | 2010  | 2026
2 | Brian Boner |  | Republican  | Douglas | Converse, Platte | HD 6, HD 62  | 2015*  | 2028
3 | Cheri Steinmetz |  | Republican  | Lingle | Goshen, Niobrara, Weston | HD 2, HD 5  | 2018  | 2026
4 | Tara Nethercott |  | Republican  | Cheyenne | Laramie | HD 7, HD 8  | 2016  | 2028
5 | Lynn Hutchings |  | Republican  | Cheyenne | Laramie | HD 12, HD 42  | 2018  | 2026
6 | Darin Smith |  | Republican  |  | Laramie | HD 4, HD 10  | 2024  | 2028
7 | Stephan Pappas |  | Republican  | Cheyenne | Laramie | HD 9, HD 41  | 2014  | 2026
8 | Jared Olsen |  | Republican  | Cheyenne | Laramie | HD 11, HD 44  | 2024  | 2028
9 | Chris Rothfuss |  | Democratic  | Laramie | Albany | HD 13, HD 45  | 2010  | 2026
10 | Gary Crum |  | Republican  | Laramie | Albany | HD 14, HD 46  | 2024  | 2028
11 | Larry S. Hicks |  | Republican  | Baggs | Albany, Carbon | HD 13, HD 45  | 2010  | 2026
12 | John Kolb |  | Republican  | Rock Springs | Fremont, Sweetwater | HD 17, HD 48  | 2020  | 2028
13 | Stacy Jones |  | Republican  | Rock Springs | Sweetwater | HD 39, HD 60  | 2022  | 2026
14 | Laura Taliaferro Pearson |  | Republican  | Kemmerer | Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta | HD 18, HD 20  | 2024  | 2028
15 | Wendy Davis Schuler |  | Republican  | Evanston | Uinta | HD 19, HD 49  | 2018  | 2026
16 | Dan Dockstader |  | Republican  | Afton | Lincoln, Sublette, Teton | HD 21, HD 22  | 2008  | 2028
17 | Mike Gierau |  | Democratic  | Jackson Hole | Teton | HD 16, HD 23  | 2018  | 2026
18 | Tim French |  | Republican  | Powell | Park | HD 24, HD 50  | 2020  | 2028
19 | Dan Laursen |  | Republican  | Powell | Big Horn, Park | HD 25, HD 26  | 2014  | 2026
20 | Ed Cooper |  | Republican  | Ten Sleep | Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, Washakie | HD 27, HD 28  | 2020  | 2028
21 | Bo Biteman |  | Republican  | Ranchester | Sheridan | HD 29, HD 30, HD 40, HD 51[a] | 2018  | 2026
22 | Barry Crago |  | Republican  | Buffalo | Sheridan, Johnson | 2024  | 2028
23 | Eric Barlow |  | Republican  | Gillette | Campbell | HD 3, HD 31  | 2022  | 2026
24 | Troy McKeown |  | Republican  | Gillette | Campbell | HD 32, HD 53  | 2020  | 2028
25 | Cale Case |  | Republican  | Lander | Fremont | HD 33, HD 54  | 1998  | 2026
26 | Tim Salazar |  | Republican  | Riverton | Fremont | HD 34, HD 55  | 2020  | 2028
27 | Bill Landen |  | Republican  | Casper | Natrona | HD 35, HD 36  | 2007*  | 2026
28 | James Lee Anderson |  | Republican  | Casper | Natrona | HD 56, HD 57  | 2012  | 2028
29 | Bob Ide |  | Republican  | Casper | Natrona | HD 37, HD 59  | 2022  | 2026
30 | Charles Scott |  | Republican  | Casper | Natrona | HD 38, HD 58  | 1982  | 2028
31 | Evie Brennan |  | Republican  | Cheyenne | Laramie | HD 43, HD 61  | 2022  | 2026

*Senator was originally appointed

### Current committees and members

[edit]

#### Judiciary

[edit]

Chairman

▌Jared Olsen
Members

▌Barry Crago
▌Gary Crum
▌Larry Hicks
▌John Kolb

#### Appropriations

[edit]

Chairman

▌Tim Salazar
Members

▌Ogden Driskill
▌Mike Gierau
▌Dan Laursen
▌Darin Smith

#### Revenue

[edit]

Chairman

▌Troy McKeown
Members

▌Cale Case
▌Tim French
▌Bob Ide
▌Stephan Pappas

#### Education

[edit]

Chairman

▌Wendy Schuler
Members

▌Evie Brennan
▌Jared Olsen
▌Chris Rothfuss
▌Charles Scott

#### Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

[edit]

Chairman

▌Tim French
Members

▌Barry Crago
▌Bob Ide
▌Troy McKeown
▌Laura Pearson

#### Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources

[edit]

Chairman

▌Bill Landen
Members

▌Brian Boner
▌Larry Hicks
▌Stacy Jones
▌Wendy Schuler

#### Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

[edit]

Chairman

▌Cale Case
Members

▌Brian Boner
▌Dan Dockstader
▌Bill Landen
▌Cheri Steinmetz

#### Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs

[edit]

Chairman

▌Stephan Pappas
Members

▌Jim Anderson
▌Evie Brennan
▌Ed Cooper
▌John Kolb

#### Minerals, Business & Economic Development

[edit]

Chairman

▌Jim Anderson
Members

▌Ed Cooper
▌Stacy Jones
▌Tara Nethercott
▌Chris Rothfuss

#### Labor, Health & Social Services

[edit]

Chairman

▌Eric Barlow
Members

▌Gary Crum
▌Lynn Hutchings
▌Charles Scott
▌Cheri Steinmetz

#### Journal

[edit]

Chairman

▌Gary Crum
Members

▌Mike Gierau

#### Rules & Procedure

[edit]

Chairman

▌Bo Biteman
Members

▌Mike Gierau
▌Tara Nethercott
▌Chris Rothfuss
▌Tim Salazar

|

## History

[edit]

### Women in the Senate

[edit]

Senator | Party | Residence | Senate Term | Notes

|
|
|
|

Dora McGrath |  | Republican | Thermopolis | 1931–1933 | First woman in the Wyoming Senate[2][3]
Willa Wales Corbitt |  | Democratic | Riverton | 1965-1969 |
Edness Kimball Wilkins |  | Democratic | Casper | 1967-1973  | First woman to serve as Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives[4]
June Boyle |  | Democratic | Laramie | 1973–1985 |
Catherine Parks |  | Republican | Gillette | 1979–1985 |
Win Hickey |  | Democratic | Cheyenne | 1981–1991 |
Lisa F. Kinney |  | Democratic | Laramie | 1985–1995 |
Della Herbst |  | Democratic | Sheridan | 1987–1993 |
Harriet Elizabeth Byrd |  | Democratic | Cheyenne | 1989–1993 | First African-American to serve in the State Legislature[5][6]
Susan C. Anderson |  | Democratic | Casper | 1993–1995 |
April Brimmer-Kunz |  | Republican | Cheyenne | 1993–2005 | First female President of the Senate
Barbara Cubin |  | Republican | Casper | 1993–1995 | Resigned to become U.S. Representative
Cynthia Lummis |  | Republican | Cheyenne | 1993–1995 | Later served as State Treasurer, U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator
Mary MacGuire |  | Republican | Casper | 1993–1995 | Son Joe MacGuire currently serves in the Wyoming House of Representatives
Irene Devin |  | Republican | Laramie | 1997–2005 |
Rae Lynn Job |  | Democratic | Rock Springs | 1997–2009 |
E. Jayne Mockler |  | Democratic | Cheyenne | 1997–2009 |
Kathryn Sessions |  | Democratic | Cheyenne | 1999–2011 |
Jana H. Gunter |  | Democratic | Cheyenne | 2004–2005 |
Patricia Aullman |  | Republican | Thayne | 2005–2009 |
Saundra Meyer |  | Democratic | Evanston | 2009–2011 |
Leslie Nutting |  | Republican | Cheyenne | 2011–2015 |
Bernadine Craft |  | Democratic | Rock Springs | 2013–2017 |
Liisa Anselmi-Dalton |  | Democratic | Rock Springs | 2017–2021 |
Affie Ellis |  | Republican | Cheyenne | 2017–2025 | Member of the Navajo Nation, first Native American to serve in the Wyoming Senate.[7]
Tara Nethercott |  | Republican | Cheyenne | 2017–present |
Wendy Davis Schuler |  | Republican | Evanston | 2019–present |
Lynn Hutchings |  | Republican | Cheyenne | 2019–present |
Cheri Steinmetz |  | Republican | Lingle | 2019–present |
Evie Brennan |  | Republican | Cheyenne | 2023–present |
Stacy Jones |  | Republican | Rock Springs | 2023–present |
Laura Taliaferro Pearson |  | Republican | Kemmerer | 2025–present |

## Past composition of the Senate

[edit]

Main article: Political party strength in Wyoming

### Recent composition

[edit]

Affiliation  | Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  |

|
|
|

|  |
Republican | Democratic | Vacant
57th Legislature (2003-2004)  | 20  | 10  | 30  | 0
58th Legislature (2005-2006)  | 23  | 7  | 30  | 0
59th Legislature (2007-2008)  | 23  | 7  | 30  | 0
60th Legislature (2009-2010)  | 23  | 7  | 30  | 0
61st Legislature (2011-2012)  | 26  | 4  | 30  | 0
62nd Legislature (2013-2014)  | 26  | 4  | 30  | 0
63rd Legislature (2015-2016)  | 26  | 4  | 30  | 0
64th Legislature (2017-2018)  | 27  | 3  | 30  | 0
65th Legislature (2019-2020)  | 27  | 3  | 30  | 0
66th Legislature (2021-2022)  | 28  | 2  | 30  | 0
67th Legislature (2023-2024)  | 29  | 2  | 31[b] | 0

### Historical composition

[edit]

Wyoming Territorial Council, 1869–1890[8]

|  |  |

Dem.

Pop.

Rep.

|
|
|

Total
1st | 1869  |  | 9

2nd | 1871  |  | 1  | 5  | 3

|
|

3rd | 1873  |  | 4  | 5

|

4th  | 1875  |  | 11  | 2

|

5th  | 1877  |  | 9  | 4

|

6th  | 1879  |  | 8  | 5

|

7th  | 1882  |  | 8  | 4

|

8th | 1884  |  | 8  | 4

|

9th | 1886  |  | 4  | 8

|

10th  | 1888  |  | 1  | 3  | 8

|
|

11th  | 1890  |  | 7  | 5

|

Wyoming Senate, 1890–present[9][10][11][12]

|  |  |

Dem.

Pop.

Rep.

Slv. Dem.

|
|
|
|

Total
1st  | 1890  |  | 3  | 13

|

2nd  | 1892  |  | 5  | 11

|

3rd  | 1894  |  | 4  | 14

|

4th  | 1896  |  | 4  | 1  | 14

|
|

5th  | 1898  |  | 6  | 13

|

6th  | 1900  |  | 1  | 2  | 16

|
|

7th  | 1902  |  | 2  | 21

|

8th  | 1904  |  | 3  | 29

|

9th  | 1906  |  | 2  | 21

|

10th  | 1908  |  | 3  | 24

|

11th  | 1910  |  | 6  | 21

|

12th  | 1912  |  | 8  | 19

|

13th  | 1914  |  | 8  | 19

|

14th  | 1916  |  | 11  | 16

|

15th  | 1918  |  | 10  | 17

|

16th  | 1920  |  | 3  | 22

|

17th  | 1922  |  | 5  | 20

|

18th  | 1924  |  | 11  | 16

|

19th  | 1926  |  | 12  | 15

|

20th  | 1928  |  | 10  | 17

|

21st  | 1930  |  | 6  | 21

|

22nd  | 1932  |  | 12  | 15

|

23rd  | 1934  |  | 14  | 13

|

24th  | 1936  |  | 16  | 11

|

25th  | 1938  |  | 11  | 16

|

26th  | 1940  |  | 11  | 16

|

27th  | 1942  |  | 10  | 17

|

28th  | 1944  |  | 6  | 21

|

29th  | 1946  |  | 8  | 19

|

30th  | 1948  |  | 9  | 18

|

31st  | 1950  |  | 10  | 17

|

32nd  | 1952  |  | 6  | 21

|

33rd  | 1954  |  | 8  | 19

|

34th  | 1956  |  | 11  | 16

|

35th  | 1958  |  | 11  | 16

|

36th  | 1960  |  | 10  | 17

|

37th  | 1962  |  | 11  | 16

|

38th  | 1964  |  | 12  | 13

|

39th  | 1966  |  | 12  | 18

|

40th  | 1968  |  | 12  | 18

|

41st  | 1970  |  | 11  | 19

|

42nd  | 1972  |  | 13  | 17

|

43rd  | 1974  |  | 15*  | 15

|

44th  | 1976  |  | 12  | 18

|

45th  | 1978  |  | 11  | 19

|

46th  | 1980  |  | 11  | 19

|

47th  | 1982  |  | 11  | 19

|

48th  | 1984  |  | 11  | 19

|

49th  | 1986  |  | 11  | 19

|

50th  | 1988  |  | 11  | 19

|

51st  | 1990 |  | 10  | 20

|

52nd  | 1992 |  | 10  | 20

|

53rd  | 1994 |  | 10  | 20

|

54th  | 1996 |  | 9  | 21

|

55th  | 1998 |  | 10  | 20

|

56th  | 2000 |  | 10  | 20

|

57th  | 2002 |  | 10  | 20

|

58th  | 2004 |  | 7  | 23

|

59th  | 2006 |  | 7  | 23

|

60th  | 2008 |  | 7  | 23

|

61st  | 2010 |  | 4  | 26

|

62nd  | 2012 |  | 4  | 26

|

63rd  | 2014 |  | 4  | 26

|

64th | 2016 |  | 3  | 27

|

65th | 2018 |  | 3  | 27

|

66th  | 2020 |  | 2  | 28

|

67th  | 2022 |  | 2  | 29

|

68th | 2024 |  | 2  | 29

|

## See also

[edit]

* Wyoming State Capitol
* Wyoming State Legislature
* Wyoming House of Representatives
* List of Wyoming state legislatures

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Only two senate districts not nested.
2. ^ A 31st district was created during redistricting.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "HB0100 - Redistricting of the legislature". Wyoming Legislature. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
2. ^ "Wyoming Women in the Legislature" (PDF). Historical Information. Wyoming: Wyoming Ssecretary of State Office. 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
3. ^ "Nation's 147 Women Legislators Active". The Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. January 19, 1931. Retrieved March 29, 2010.("In Wyoming, where women have been voting since 1869, Mrs. Dora McGrath is the first woman ever elected to the senate. Following her election last September she remarked that rather than go down to the legislature she would prefer to 'stay home and win prizes for my apple pies.'")
4. ^ American legislative leaders in the West, 1911-1994. Sharp, Nancy Weatherly., Sharp, James Roger, 1936-. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. 1997. ISBN 031330212X. OCLC 35138609.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
5. ^ University of Wyoming-UW Profiles Harriet Elizabeth "Liz" Byrd
6. ^ "Liz" Byrd, first black woman in Wyoming House, dies at 88"
7. ^ "First Native American". Women in Wyoming. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
8. ^ Trenholm, Virginia Cole (August 1974). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume One (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives and Historical Division. pp. 151–171. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
9. ^ Trenholm, Virginia Cole (August 1974). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Two (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives and Historical Division. pp. 253–378. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
10. ^ Trenholm, Virginia Cole (August 1974). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Three (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives and Historical Division. pp. 52–90. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
11. ^ Jost, Loren (1991). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Four (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives, Department of Commerce. pp. 158–192. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
12. ^ Roberts, Phillip J. (2008). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Five (PDF). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives, State Parks and Cultural Resources Department. pp. 58–93. Retrieved March 6, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Wyoming Senate
* Project Vote Smart – State Senate of Wyoming
* The Wyoming Liberty Index

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Wyoming Senate

68th Legislature (2025)

President
Bo Biteman (R)
Vice President
Tim Salazar (R)
Majority Leader
Tara Nethercott (R)
Minority Leader
Mike Gierau (D)

1. ▌Ogden Driskill (R)
2. ▌Brian Boner (R)
3. ▌Cheri Steinmetz (R)
4. ▌Tara Nethercott (R)
5. ▌Lynn Hutchings (R)
6. ▌Darin Smith (R)
7. ▌Stephan Pappas (R)
8. ▌Jared Olsen (R)
9. ▌Chris Rothfuss (D)
10. ▌Gary Crum (R)
11. ▌Larry Hicks (R)
12. ▌John Kolb (R)
13. ▌Stacy Jones (R)
14. ▌Laura Pearson (R)
15. ▌Wendy Schuler (R)
16. ▌Dan Dockstader (R)
17. ▌Mike Gierau (D)
18. ▌Tim French (R)
19. ▌Dan Laursen (R)
20. ▌Ed Cooper (R)
21. ▌Bo Biteman (R)
22. ▌Barry Crago (R)
23. ▌Eric Barlow (R)
24. ▌Troy McKeown (R)
25. ▌Cale Case (R)
26. ▌Tim Salazar (R)
27. ▌Bill Landen (R)
28. ▌Jim Anderson (R)
29. ▌Bob Ide (R)
30. ▌Charles Scott (R)
31. ▌Evie Brennan (R)

* ▌Republican (29)
* ▌Democratic (2)

* Wyoming Legislature
* Wyoming House of Representatives
* Wyoming Senate
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