December 23, 2020 Introduction & Context As the 65th Wyoming State Legislature completed its budget session in March of 2020, Americans were just beginning to learn about the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this unprecedented emergency and its resulting economic fallout, the 116th U.S. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic …
December 9, 2020 From Chris Merrill for WyoFile If there was ever a more important time for government transparency and public access and participation at the Wyoming Legislature, I can’t think of it. Since July, the state’s already lean budget has been cut by an additional 15% — with health, education and family services taking …
Opinion: The problem of public access during a pandemic Read More »
November 23, 2020 On November 24, the Wyoming State Legislature’s Management Council will decide whether to postpone the upcoming legislative session—which is scheduled to begin on January 12—until later this spring. As part of that discussion, they’ll consider this recent memo from the Legislative Services Office detailing the staff’s recommendations for postponing the session. Today …
ESPC’s Position on Delaying the 2021 General Session Read More »
November 20, 2020 Transparency experts on our latest People’s Review: LIVE! had a lot to dig into as they talked about how to ensure Wyomingites aren’t being shut out of the legislative process at a time when COVID-19 is changing the way lawmakers hold meetings and how citizens can participate. Panelists kicked off the discussion …
November 17, 2020 LARAMIE, Wyo — As part of its monthly People’s Review: Live! online series, the nonpartisan Equality State Policy Center will host a panel of transparency experts to discuss the importance of ensuring the public can observe and have access to lawmakers during the 2021 General Session. “As the Legislature makes plans to meet at …
Shut Out? Ensuring Public Access to Lawmakers—Even in a Pandemic Read More »
Join us on Thursday, Nov. 19 for the People’s Review: LIVE! Will Your Voice Be Silenced? The Legislature’s plans for the 2021 General Session could leave the public out. Our panel of transparency experts will discuss the importance of keeping the people’s work visible and accessible—even in a pandemic. Meet our panelists, Darcie Hoffland, Shannon …
Shut Out? Ensuring Public Access to Lawmakers…Even in a Pandemic. Read More »
Concerns: Keeping school board races nonpartisan is important because it focuses the elections on educational issues rather than political ideologies. This ensures that decisions are made in the best interest of students and the community, without the influence of party agendas. Nonpartisan races encourage a broader range of candidates and foster collaboration, helping to maintain a focus on local needs rather than divisive political conflicts.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill creates unnecessary barriers to voting, potentially disenfranchising marginalized groups and reducing voter participation. The ramifications on women in shelters, those on the Wind River Reservation, unhoused Wyomingites, and transient populations will be palpable if this law goes into effect.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill would limit voter access, especially for those who face challenges with mail or in-person delivery. This restriction may disproportionately affect rural, elderly, and disabled voters who rely on the convenience and accessibility of drop boxes to participate in elections.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill would prohibit friends or family members from assisting others with obtaining absentee ballot request forms. It could hinder voter outreach and make it more difficult for individuals who rely on personal assistance or nonprofit support to access absentee voting.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill will invite discrimination against legal, documented immigrants and cost at least $67,000 of taxpayer’s money. It is unnecessary spending rooted in misinformation about noncitizen voting.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: The Equality State Policy Center supports commemorating Nellie Tayloe Ross because her groundbreaking election as the first female governor in the United States reflects Wyoming’s proud heritage as the “Equality State,” championing women’s leadership and equal opportunities in governance.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill imposes unnecessary barriers to voter registration by requiring duplicative documentation, despite the lack of evidence that non-U.S. citizens are voting in Wyoming. These stringent requirements could disproportionately disenfranchise eligible voters, particularly marginalized groups, who may face difficulties obtaining the specified documentation.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns:This bill takes the power away from our elected officials, the County Clerk, and puts it in the hands of exclusive party decision-making. The County Canvassing Board should be a neutral, informative board – not partisan.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: The bill creates barriers to voting, privacy concerns, administrative challenges, and potentially suppresses voter turnout, particularly for marginalized groups, without clear evidence of a need for such measures in Wyoming.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: Rank Choice Voting (RCV) allows voters to express nuanced preferences and often elects candidates with broad support. A committee bill, killed on Introduction in 2023, would’ve allowed RCV as an option to be used in municipalities across Wyoming.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns:In 2021, student ID was cemented as proper identification for voting through the state legislature to aid access for young voters who may lack other IDs. This measure was supported by current Secretary of State Chuck Gray and sponsor of the bill, Representative Bear.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.