Wyoming’s secretary of state post has risen in prominence in recent years as worries about election integrity have intensified. This year, four Republican candidates are vying for the post, the state’s second-highest executive office behind the governor. Whoever wins the Republican primary race on Aug. 18 will face the lone Democratic candidate, Bryan McCarty, in November’s general election.
Candidates
The rest of the field has held public offices or campaigned previously. CJ Young, a Cheyenne Republican and former field representative for U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, ran for the Wyoming House in 2014. Converse County Commissioner Robert Short, a Douglas Republican, ran for U.S. Senate in 2020, coming in second in the Republican primary behind current U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis. And Rep. Rachel Williams, a Cody Republican, has served in the Wyoming House since 2021 and chairs the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.
Qwenton Eagle Oviatt, a Lander Republican, is running for his first political office. Oviatt hopes to prioritize voter education and address shady LLC filings in Wyoming.
Platforms
CJ Young would prioritize building positive relationships with county clerks and elected officials, particularly with those in the executive branch. He also would advocate for two new positions at the Secretary of State’s Office — one for a professional trainer and another for a professional investigator.
Rachel Williams has drawn headlines as the main sponsor of two major pro-life bills, both of which were struck down in court. She supports barring ‘ballot harvesting’ — a ban that current Secretary of State Gray has championed.
Robert Short, who has experience as an election judge, said he ‘really understands what an election looks like from start to finish.’ He hopes to use this experience to improve the election process in Wyoming.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
