June 12, 2020 But we also know that if we join with those already raising your voices, those who are making change through protest and policy, those who are actively fighting back against unfairness and oppression, and if we stand in solidarity with you—we will succeed together.
June 3, 2020 “Why the Small Protests in Small Towns Across America Matter” comes from journalist Anne Helen Petersen, an Idaho native now living in Montana. Over the weekend, she started a twitter thread about small town protests. It blossomed into a massive thread–that is still going nearly a week later–and later became this article.
Yesterday, Korin Schmidt, Director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services, delivered a report to Joint Labor/Health. She highlighted the ongoing COVID-19 impacts on women and families. Two points stood out to us: You can see her full report here. Nick Reynolds, at the Casper Star Tribune, listened and immediately grasped the gravity of the …
We’re re-upping a portion of a post from our senior policy advisor, Jen Simon, who originally wrote about women and nonprofits over on the Wyoming Women’s Action Network blog. Why are we reposting it now? Because this week, nonprofits were explicitly excluded from the business relief grants in Wyoming. Read the guidelines from the Wyoming …
ESPC’s mission includes Fair Elections. And we’re committed to ensuring fair elections in the age of COVID-19. So we’ve been working on this issue alongside national groups like Secure Democracy, Unite America, Vote at Home, and the Brennan Center for Justice. Readers of this site know that we posted our letter to Secretary of State …
From a technological standpoint, Chris Merrill, a transparency advocate and director of the Equality State Policy Center, called the special session a success.
ESPC Senior Policy Advisor Jen Simon tackles a a central issue with policy and governance: We get the policy we get based on the personal experiences of the people we elect.
Even though we’ll be talking Special Session at the inaugural People’s Review: LIVE! on Thursday, we wanted to be sure you had a little bit of information about what happened at the unprecedented virtual Special Session over the weekend. Why did they have a special session? The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enacted …
What is it? On the third Thursday of every month, the People’s Review: LIVE! will offer vital information to ensure transparent government, fair elections, and thriving communities. The People’s Review: LIVE is an ongoing, interactive, highly accessible, low-cost way for people across Wyoming to engage with ESPC’s mission, Wyoming’s government, pressing current events, subject matter experts, and …
The Equality State Policy Center and our 30 member organizations throughout Wyoming wish to thank you and your staff for your ongoing work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and your office’s dedication to protecting the integrity of our elections during these challenging times.
Concerns: We oppose this bill because it shifts control away from the people, giving more power to state and county central committees to fill vacancies if the original appointing authority fails to act. By allowing these committees to make temporary appointments and holding special elections only for non-partisan vacancies, it reduces transparency and public involvement, undermining the democratic process and limiting the role of voters in these critical decisions.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill injects unnecessary partisan influence into Wyoming’s elections by prioritizing individuals who are involved in political party for selecting election judges. Voters deserve a process that builds trust, not one that risks tilting the scales toward partisan control.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Support: Supporting this resolution aligns with our commitment to fair elections by ensuring that the voices of everyday citizens are not drowned out by unlimited spending from wealthy special interests. The rising costs of campaigns, reflected in ESPC’s recent campaign finance reports, make it harder for ordinary people to run for office and for voters to have an equal say with their dollar power. Agree? Sign the petition!
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: Masquerading as a transparency bill, this bill shoves together many components of other bills we oppose. Despite the lack of evidence that we have an issue with voter fraud in our state, this bill imposes unnecessary barriers and opens our processes up to errors.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
ESPC Concerns: This bill creates a $2 million fund for runoff election costs and increases candidate spending. We agree with the intent of this bill, however, we believe in saving money and increasing voter turnout. We think a bill like this should be implemented in a single election, with the top two vote-getters facing off in the General.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Support: We support this bill because it ensures that citizens have convenient access to engage in the legislative process by attending meetings and hearings without the barrier of limited parking. Enhancing accessibility around the capitol complex fosters greater public participation and transparency in government.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: Hand-counting is expensive, people-intensive, time-intensive, and inaccurate. The Equality State Policy Center has laid out the reasons to keep our ballot machines, which are accurate, timely, and well-tested.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: Hand-counting is expensive, people-intensive, time-intensive, and inaccurate. The Equality State Policy Center has laid out the reasons to keep our ballot machines, which are accurate, timely, and well-tested. $200,000 is not only a lot of money, but would not begin to cover the necessary costs for recounts.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: Hand-counting is expensive, people-intensive, time-intensive, and inaccurate. The Equality State Policy Center has laid out the reasons to keep our ballot machines, which are accurate, timely, and well-tested.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill encourages further partisanship. Independent and third-party candidates have already been cast out of primary elections in Wyoming. Adding more rigorous requirements makes it harder for them to run and win.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Support: We support this bill because it provides 2 hours of time off for Wyoming workers to vote to ensure that all employees have adequate time to participate in elections without job-related constraints. This change aims to increase voter turnout, and give hardworking Wyomingites the tools to combat long lines created by shortened early voting periods.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: Strict voter photo ID laws can turn eligible voters away. Elderly voters, who no longer have their driver’s licenses and will struggle, or even choose not to, update their photo IDs. Disenfranchising vulnerable populations in Wyoming is not acceptable nor good policy.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Support: We support this bill because making county-level positions nonpartisan focuses on candidates’ qualifications and performance rather than political affiliation, promoting fairness and impartiality. This change encourages more inclusive and balanced local governance, and will hopefully lead to decreased partisanship.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Concerns: This bill takes power away from the local governments and districts and hands it directly to the state executive branch. Local governments and districts know their locale the best, and rural power is important.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
Support: We support this bill because requiring special elections to fill vacancies in elected offices ensures that the selection of public officials reflects the will of the electorate, rather than being determined by partisan appointments.
Find more information from the Wyoming Legislature website here.
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.