Wyoming’s primary election this week features high‑profile contests for governor, U.S. Senate and the U.S. House, yet early‑vote participation is lagging behind the record‑setting 2022 primary. Election officials in several counties say the drop reflects a 2023 law that reduced the early‑voting period from 45 days to 28 days, as well as new rules on party affiliation changes and residency verification.
Campbell County sees modest early turnout
In Campbell County, where Republicans have consistently captured more than 96% of the vote, about 3,300 voters had cast early ballots by Friday afternoon. Of those, roughly 2,800 voted in person at the elections office and 488 submitted mail‑in or drop‑off ballots. The numbers trail the 2022 primary, which saw more than 12,000 early votes, including 4,990 cast before Election Day.
Election coordinator Michelle Leiker notes that the office has not experienced long lines and has streamlined the absentee‑ballot application process. However, she reports voter confusion over a 2023 law that requires anyone wishing to change party affiliation to do so before candidates file for partisan office, and a 30‑day residency requirement that some newcomers find difficult to meet.
Teton County’s early‑vote picture
Teton County Clerk Maureen Murphy expected a stronger early‑vote surge but cautioned that the county may not surpass its 2022 totals. Murphy attributes the 2022 surge to the nationally watched congressional race between Rep. Liz Cheney and challenger Harriet Hageman, which drew unprecedented attention to Wyoming.
By Friday, Teton County recorded 1,748 early in‑person votes and 179 absentee ballots. In contrast, the 2022 primary saw 3,274 early voters and 808 mail‑in ballots, nearly double the current figures. Murphy also highlighted a 2025 residency rule (House Bill 146) that bars registration unless a voter has lived in the state for at least 30 days, creating additional hurdles for recent arrivals.
Park County rebounds after a slow start
Park County elections deputy Katie Johnson said early voting picked up late in the week, putting the county on track for a “very typical turnout.” As of 2 p.m. Friday, more than 3,200 voters—about 19% of registered voters—had cast ballots, with over 93% selecting Republican candidates. Early‑vote numbers rose sharply after Wednesday, and Johnson expects the county to break its 2022 early‑vote record of 2,350.
Absentee ballots, however, remain down. Roughly 1,040 absentee ballots have been submitted, compared with 2,300 in 2022. Johnson attributes the lag to voters taking longer to return mailed ballots.
Natrona County sees similar trends
Natrona County clerk Tracy Good reported 1,987 absentee‑ballot requests with 1,401 received, down from 2,472 in 2024 and 2,613 in 2022. Early‑vote totals have risen to 2,945, surpassing the 2024 figure of 2,097 but still trailing the 4,200 early voters recorded in 2022.
Good said the new election statutes have not produced “major effects” on turnout, though officials continue to field questions from voters adjusting to the changes.
Why 2022 was an outlier
The 2022 primary was propelled by the Cheney‑Hageman congressional race, which became a de‑facto referendum on former President Donald Trump. Cheney’s criticism of Trump sparked a wave of Republican activism, and Trump’s personal appearance in Wyoming further energized voters. That race generated the highest raw primary ballot count in state history—over 182,000 votes, representing about 40% of the voting‑age population.
With that high‑profile contest absent this cycle, and with the early‑voting window now shorter, county officials anticipate a more typical turnout pattern for the remainder of the primary.
Looking ahead
Election officials across the state will continue to monitor early‑vote numbers as the primary approaches. They plan to provide additional outreach on the new party‑change deadline and residency verification process to reduce confusion for future elections.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
