2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-03831HB0249
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0249
Runoff elections.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Neiman, Andrew, Kelly and
Rodriguez-Williams and Senator(s) Boner and
McKeown
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to elections; requiring a runoff election
2 after a primary election for specified offices when no
3 candidate receives a majority of the vote; providing the
4 format of the runoff ballot; changing the date for primary
5 elections; amending related dates; clarifying maintenance
6 of voter registration lists; making conforming changes;
7 amending election contribution laws; creating an account;
8 providing an appropriation; requiring a report; and
9 providing for effective dates.
10
11
12
13. W.S. 22-5-601 and 22-6-131 are created to
14 read:
15 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03832HB0249
1 ARTICLE 6
2 RUNOFF ELECTIONS
3
4
5
6 (a) For nominations for governor, secretary of state,
7 state treasurer, state auditor, state superintendent of
8 public instruction and any federal office, a runoff
9 election shall be held with respect to that nomination if
10 no candidate, including any write-in candidate, receives
11 more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes cast for the
12 respective partisan office on the primary ballot. The
13 candidates in the runoff election shall be the two (2)
14 candidates who received the highest number of votes in
15 their respective partisan primary election except:
16
17 (i) If more than two (2) candidates in a
18 partisan primary election for the offices specified in this
19 subsection tie for the highest number of votes in the
20 primary election, the state canvassing board shall cast
21 lots to determine which two (2) shall be runoff election
22 candidates; or
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03833HB02491 (ii) If two (2) or more candidates in a partisan
2 primary election for the offices specified in this
3 subsection tie for the second highest number of votes in
4 the primary election, the state canvassing board shall cast
5 lots to determine who shall be the second candidate in the
6 runoff election.
7
8 (b) Notwithstanding W.S. 22-5-401, if any candidate
9 eligible to be in a runoff election withdraws, dies or is
10 determined ineligible before the runoff election, that
11 candidate shall be ineligible for the runoff election and
12 the two (2) remaining eligible candidates receiving the
13 highest number of votes in accordance with subsection (a)
14 of this section shall be the candidates in the runoff
15 election.
16
17 (c) If required under this section, runoff elections
18 shall be held on the first Tuesday after the second Monday
19 in August in general election years.
20
21 (d) The candidate who receives the highest number of
22 votes in the runoff election shall be nominated.
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03834HB02491 (e) In the event of a tie in a runoff election, the
2 state canvassing board shall cast lots in the manner
3 prescribed by W.S. 22-16-119.
4
5 (f) To the extent this section conflicts with other
6 sections of this Election Code, this section shall apply.
7
8 (g) All costs incurred in carrying out a runoff
9 election under this section shall be borne by the secretary
10 of state, who shall reimburse the county treasurer for the
11 costs paid by the county for the runoff election.
12
13 (h) There is created the runoff election account.
14 Funds in the account shall not revert and are continuously
15 appropriated to the secretary of state for costs related to
16 administering runoff elections as provided in this section.
17 The state treasurer shall invest funds within the account
18 in accordance with law. All investment earnings from the
19 account shall be deposited in the general fund.
20
21
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03835HB02491 (a) Each primary runoff election ballot for major
2 political parties required under W.S. 22-5-601 shall be
3 printed in substantial compliance with the following:
4
5 (i) Across the top shall be printed "Official
6 Runoff Election Ballot" followed by the name of the major
7 political party;
8
9 (ii) On the first line shall be printed the
10 county in which the ballot is used, the date of the
11 election and blank lines for entry of the election district
12 and precinct;
13
14 (iii) On the second line shall be printed the
15 following instructions: "To vote for a person whose name is
16 printed on the ballot, mark the square immediately adjacent
17 to the name of the person for whom you desire to vote. To
18 vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot,
19 write the person's name in the blank space provided for
20 that purpose and mark the square immediately adjacent to
21 the name of the person.";
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03836HB02491 (iv) Candidates for different offices in the
2 same runoff election shall be arranged in separate groups
3 in the order specified by W.S. 22-6-117. At the top of each
4 group shall appear the title of the office. Adjacent to the
5 title of the office shall be printed "Vote for one";
6
7 (v) Below the list of candidates in each group
8 shall be printed a blank line for a write-in candidate;
9
10 (vi) Adjacent to the name of each candidate and
11 blank line shall be printed a square for marking the vote.
12 No square shall appear at the top of a column.
13
14W.S. 22-1-102(a)(xxx)(E) and (lii),
15 22-2-101(a)(ii), 22-2-104(b) and (d), 22-2-108, 22-2-109(a)
16 and by creating a new subsection (d), 22-2-111(a),
17 22-2-113(e), 22-3-102(a)(intro) and by creating a new
18 subsection (f), 22-3-109(a), 22-4-402(a) and (e), 22-5-101,
19 22-5-209, 22-5-215, 22-5-219(a) and by creating new
20 subsections (c) and (d), 22-6-101, 22-6-102(a), 22-6-105,
21 22-6-107, 22-7-101, 22-8-101(a), (b) and (d), 22-8-116,
22 22-16-102(a), 22-16-103(c)(i), 22-16-106(a) and (b),
23 22-16-118, 22-16-121(a), 22-16-122(c) and (f), 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03837HB0249
1 22-17-102(a)(intro), 22-21-103, 22-21-104, 22-22-202(a),
2 22-23-303, 22-25-101(d)(i)(C), 22-25-102(c)(i)(B), (j) and
3 (m), 22-25-104, 22-25-105(a), 22-25-106(a)(i), (b)(i),
4 (h)(intro) and (ii), 22-25-107(b), 22-26-113(a)(intro) and
5 22-29-110(a) and (b) are amended to read:
6
7
8
9 (a) The definitions contained in this chapter apply
10 to words and phrases used in this Election Code and govern
11 the construction of those words and phrases unless they are
12 specifically modified by the context in which they appear.
13 As used in this Election Code:
14
15 (xxx) "Residence" is the place of a person's
16 actual habitation. The construction of this term shall be
17 governed by the following rules:
18
19 (E) If a person to another
20 state with the intent of making it his residence, he loses
21 his residence in Wyoming; except that in a general election
22 year, if his registration is valid in Wyoming when he
23 leaves this state and he is unable to qualify under the 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03838HB0249
1 laws of his new state of residence to vote at the primary
2 or general election, he shall be deemed to have retained
3 residence in Wyoming for purposes of voting by absentee
4 ballot in the primary, runoff or general election;
5
6 (lii) "Unsuccessful candidate" means a person
7 who did not win the election but whose name was printed on
8 the ballot and who received one (1) or more votes in the
9 primary or runoff election;
10
11
12
13
14 (a) Chapters 1 through 28 of this Election Code apply
15 to the following elections:
16
17 (ii) Primary elections ;
18
19
20
21 (b) A primary election shall be held at the regular
22 polling places for each precinct on the first Tuesday after
23 the Monday in in general election 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03839HB0249
1 years for the nomination of candidates for partisan and
2 nonpartisan offices to be filled at the succeeding general
3 election and for the election of major party precinct
4 committeemen and committeewomen.
5
6
7
8
9 (d) Every bond election shall be held
10
11 first Tuesday after the first Monday in May or November.,
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 election,
21 transmit to the county clerk of each county a certified
22 list stating what officers, other than county and precinct
23 officers, are to be nominated or elected at the election. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038310HB02491
2
3
4 (a) Between
5, the
6 county clerk in each county shall publish at least once in
7 a newspaper of general circulation in the county and post
8 in the county clerk's office and at the place where each
9 municipality within the county regularly holds its council
10 meetings a proclamation setting forth the date of the
11 election, the offices to be filled at the election
12 including the terms of the offices, the number of persons
13 required by law to fill the offices, the filing deadline
14 for the offices and the requirements for filing statements
15 of campaign contributions and expenditures. The
16 proclamation shall also include the aforementioned
17 information regarding offices to be filled at the general
18 election, the date that a runoff election would occur, if
19 and any other pertinent primary election
20 information. In addition, the description of any ballot
21 proposition submitted to the voters of the state, a
22 political subdivision thereof, county or other district
23 shall be included. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038311HB02491
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14 (a) Any person entitled to vote at any primary,
15 or general election or special election to fill a
16 vacancy in the office of representatives in the congress of
17 the United States is, on the day of such election, entitled
18 to absent himself from any service or employment in which
19 he is then engaged or employed for a period of one (1)
20 hour, other than meal hours, the hour being at the
21 convenience of the employer, between the time of opening
22 and closing of the polls. Such elector shall not, because 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038312HB0249
1 of so absenting himself, lose any pay, providing he
2 actually casts his legal vote.
3
4
5
6
7 (e) The county clerks shall purge and update voter
8 registration information on the voter registration system
9 not later than the fifteenth day of February
10
11 state upon completion, but not later than February 15 of
12the year .
13
14
15
16 (a) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this
17 person may register to vote not less than
18 fourteen (14) days before an election, at any election
19 specified in W.S. 22-2-101(a)(i) through (viii) or as
20 provided by W.S. 22-3-117, who satisfies the following
21 qualifications:
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038313HB02491
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17 (a) Not less than ten (10) days before any election,
18 the county clerk shall certify and transmit to the officer
19 in charge of each election at his request the necessary
20 poll lists for the precincts or areas involved in the
21 election. Not less than ten (10) days prior to the primary
22 and general elections
23 the 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038314HB0249
1 county clerks shall upon request deliver
2 poll for each precinct in the county to the
3 county chairman of each political party in the respective
4 counties.
5
6
7
8 (a) Any group of persons desiring to form a new
9 political party within this state shall file a petition
10 with the secretary of state not later than 1
11 in any general election year in which the party seeks to
12 qualify for the general election ballot.
13
14 (e) The petition shall be circulated no earlier than
15January 1 of the year preceding the general election.
16
17
18
19 Nominations of candidates for all offices filled at a
20 general election, except school and community college
21 district offices and special district offices, may be made
22 by primary election , by petition
23 for nomination as an independent candidate as provided in 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038315HB0249
1 W.S. 22-5-301 through 22-5-308 or by convention as provided
2 in W.S. 22-4-303 and 22-4-406.
3
4
5
6
7 An application for nomination shall be filed not more than
8 days and not later than
9
10 election. Not later than
11 days before a primary election, the secretary of state
12 shall transmit to each county clerk a certified list of
13 persons whose applications have been filed in the office of
14 the secretary of state stating as to each his name, age,
15 address, office sought and party affiliation.
16
17-5-
18
19
20n each party ballot
21 the candidate or candidates equal in number to the number
22 to be elected to each office who receive the largest number
23 of votes shall be nominated and shall be entitled to have 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038316HB0249
1 their names printed on the ballot for the next general
2 election. A write-in candidate shall not be nominated and
3 shall not be entitled to have his name printed on the
4 ballot for the next general election unless he received at
5 least twenty-five (25) write-in votes in the primary
6 election and is a registered voter in the political party
7 for which he was nominated on the day of the primary
8 election. An unsuccessful candidate for office at a primary
9 election whose name is printed on any party ballot may not
10 accept nomination for the same office at the next general
11 election.
12
13
14
15
16 (a) Candidates nominated
17
18 election shall be deemed nominated
19 without further action. In addition, each write-in
20
21
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038317HB02491
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12 Not less than sixty (60) days before each general election
13 the secretary of state shall transmit to each county clerk
14 under party headings a certified list of the name and
15 address of each person nominated by primary
16 election as indicated by the state canvass, the name of
17 each person nominated by provisional or minor party
18 convention, the name of each independent candidate
19 qualifying for nomination by petition, and the office
20 sought. The names of these candidates shall be printed on
21 the official ballot of the general election.
22
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038318HB0249
1
2 (a) The county clerk shall print official ballots for
3 county, for all primary, general and
4 special elections.
5
6
7
8 The officer providing the official ballots shall publish
9 sample ballots at least once in a newspaper of general
10 circulation in the district in which each primary
11 and general election is held within two (2) weeks prior to
12 the election. This notice shall also state that the names
13 of candidates will be rotated on the official ballots and
14 will not always appear in the order indicated in the sample
15 ballots.
16
17
18
19 (a) Official ballots for primary, runoff and general
20 elections shall be in the county clerk's possession
21 forty-five (45) days before the election. If a clerk is
22 unable to obtain ballots on time, the secretary of state 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038319HB0249
1 shall provide by rule and regulation for the clerk to
2 obtain and use substitute ballots.
3
4 (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section,
5 county clerks shall make official absentee ballots for
6 primary, runoff and general elections available to voters
7 with rights under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens
8 Absentee Voting Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff, and future acts
9 amendatory or supplemental thereto, forty-five (45) days
10 before the election.
11
12
13
14 The board of county commissioners with the advice or
15 recommendation of the county clerk, no later than
16 in every
17 general election year shall divide the county into not more
18 than thirty (30) election districts. Each district shall
19 be designated by number. Election districts shall be
20 changed only at this designated meeting.
21 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038320HB02491
2
3
4
5 (a) Not later than the Tuesday of
6 in each general election year, each county clerk
7 shall notify the county chairmen of the major and minor
8 political parties in the county of the number of election
9 judges and counting board members and alternates needed for
10 the ensuing two (2) year term.
11
12 (b) Not later than the Tuesday of
13 in each general election year the county chairman of
14 each major and minor political party in each county may
15 certify to the county clerk a list of registered electors
16 residing in the county and affiliated with the party, and a
17 list of persons who are at least sixteen (16) years of age
18 who otherwise meet all requirements for qualification as an
19 elector, who are willing to serve as a judge of election or
20 as a member of a counting board.
21
22 (d) Not later than , the county clerk
23 on each general election year shall appoint judges of 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038321HB0249
1 election and counting boards and alternates from lists
2 submitted by the county chairmen of the major and minor
3 political parties.
4
5
6
7 Judges of election and members of counting boards shall be
8 compensated for services at a rate to be determined by the
9 board of county commissioners
10 meeting and stated on the notice sent to
11 each nominee. The rate shall be not less than the state
12 minimum wage. Compensation shall begin one (1) hour before
13 a member assumes his duties. The election official who
14 delivers the returns shall receive additional compensation
15 for necessary travel beyond ten (10) miles at the rate
16 authorized for county employees. If a flat rate is paid,
17 said sum shall not be less than the state hourly minimum
18 wage multiplied by the number of hours the polls are open
19 plus one (1) hour.
20
21
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038322HB02491 (a) The county clerk shall prepare an abstract of the
2 vote of all precincts in the county following a county
3 primary, special or general election. The abstract
4 shall contain all items required in W.S.
5 22-16-103(c)(viii).
6
7
8
9 (c) The county canvassing board shall:
10
11 (i) Meet as soon as all returns have been
12 received and abstracted, but if any provisional ballots
13 have been cast in the county, not before the time has
14 passed for provisional voters to document their eligibility
15 to register or to vote. The board shall meet at a time and
16 place designated by the county clerk, but no later than the
17second Wednesday following the election;
18
19
20
21 (a) Each write-in candidate nominated at a primary
22 election, who has not previously filed an
23 application for nomination shall accept nomination by 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038323HB0249
1 filing an application for nomination and paying the filing
2 fee in the office in which he would have been required to
3 file an application for nomination to that office.
4
5 (b) The chief election officer shall notify a
6 write-in candidate who has been nominated at a primary
7 election within forty-eight (48) hours after the
8 canvassing board meets. Notification may be delivered by
9 United States postal service or other generally accepted
10 mail delivery method to the last known address of the
11 write-in candidate, email or other electronic means that
12 provide actual notice to the write-in candidate, or service
13 as provided under the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure.
14 Each notification provided under this section shall inform
15 the write-in candidate that failure to timely respond will
16 result in forfeiture of nomination. Failure of the
17 successful write-in candidate to accept the nomination in
18 the manner prescribed in subsection (a) of this section
19 within five (5) days after delivery, attempted delivery or
20 service under the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure, as
21 computed pursuant to W.S. 22-2-110, results in the
22 successful write-in candidate not appearing on the general 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038324HB0249
1 election ballot, but does not result in a vacancy which can
2 be filled.
3
4
5
6 The state canvassing board shall meet no later than the
7 Wednesday following the election. The
8 secretary of state shall send a messenger to obtain
9 official county abstracts not filed in a reasonable length
10 of time. The canvassing board shall meet at the time and
11 place set by the secretary of state. The board shall review
12 the state abstracts prepared by the secretary of state,
13 compare them with the tabulation and materials prepared by
14 the secretary of state, resolve any tie votes, and certify
15 the abstract as the official state canvass.
16
17
18
19
20 (a) When the state canvass is concluded, the
21 secretary of state shall issue a certificate of nomination
22 to each candidate nominated at a primary election
23 and certify the names of nominees as provided in W.S. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038325HB0249
1 22-6-101.
2
3
4
5 When the
6 county canvass is concluded, the county clerk shall issue a
7 certificate of nomination to each candidate nominated at a
8 primary election or by petition.
9
10
11
12
13 (c) If only certain precincts are allowed to vote in
14 the special election, the votes received in the special
15 election shall be added to the unofficial results not
16 declared null and void for that office from the initial
17 primary, general election or other special
18 election.
19
20 (f) The special election shall be held if necessary
21 no later than the third Tuesday after the primary,
22 general or other special election and may be held by a
23 special mail ballot election as provided in W.S. 22-16-123. 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038326HB0249
1 The special election shall be conducted by the county clerk
2 as nearly as possible in the manner of a primary, runoff or
3 general election, except only those registered in the
4 precinct at the close of polls on the election day of the
5 primary, general or other special election in
6 question shall be permitted to vote in the special
7 election. If the election is held as a special mail ballot
8 election, the election shall be held as provided in W.S.
9 22-16-123.
10
11
12
13
14 (a) Election contests for all primary
15 election offices and all general election offices other
16 than state legislators, United States president and
17 vice-president and presidential elector, may be commenced
18 by the contestant filing with the clerk of the district
19 court of the county, within fourteen (14) days after the
20 results of the election have been certified by the
21 canvassing board, a verified petition setting forth
22 specifically:
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038327HB02491
2
3
4 Each bond question shall be submitted to a vote of the
5 qualified electors of the political subdivision. Every bond
6 election shall be held on
7
8 following the first Monday in May or November., or on the
9 Not less
10 than one hundred ten (110) days before a bond election, the
11 political subdivision shall provide written notification to
12 the county clerk specifying the date of the election and
13 the bond question. The bond question shall state the
14 purpose of the bonds, the maximum principal amount thereof,
15 the maximum number of years allowed for the indebtedness
16 and the maximum rate of interest to be paid thereon. The
17 secretary of state may promulgate reasonable rules
18 for conducting bond elections where the election is not
19 held at the same time as the general or primary election.
20
21
22
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038328HB0249
1 Between
2
3
4 seventy (70) days before a bond election held in
5 conjunction with a May, general or other November election,
6 the county clerk shall publish notice of the election at
7 least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the
8 political subdivision. If there is no newspaper of general
9 circulation in the political subdivision, notice shall be
10 posted at each polling place in the political subdivision
11 between ninety (90) and seventy (70) days before the
12 election. Any notice of election hereunder shall specify
13 the name of the political subdivision, the date, time and
14 place of election, the question or questions to be
15 submitted, and the fact that only qualified electors of the
16 political subdivision may vote thereon. If a bond
17 election is being held within a political subdivision at
18 the same time and place as a regular or other election, the
19 notice of bond election may, at the discretion of the
20 county clerk, be combined with and given in the same manner
21 as the notice of the regular or other election in such
22 political subdivision.
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038329HB02491
2
3 (a) A qualified elector may be nominated for the
4 office of school district trustee or member of a community
5 college board by filing an application for election in the
6 office of the county clerk not more than ninety (90) nor
7 less than days prior to the
8 election. The application shall be in substantially the
9 following form:
10
11 APPLICATION FOR ELECTION FOR SCHOOL OR
12 COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEE
13
14 I, the undersigned, swear or affirm that I was born on
15 ...., ....(year), and that I have been a resident of the
16 State of Wyoming since ...., and that I am a registered
17 voter of the .... school district or community college
18 district (and resident of trustee residence area or
19 subdistrict ...., if any), residing at ...., and I do
20 hereby request that my name, ...., be printed on the ballot
21 of the election to be held on the .... day of ....,
22 ....(year), as a candidate for the office of .... for a 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038330HB0249
1 term of .... years. I hereby declare that if I am elected,
2 I will qualify for the office.
3
4 Dated: ....
5
6 .......... (Signature of Candidate)
7
8 .... Name as it is to appear on the ballot
9
10
11
12
13 Not later than days
14 prior to the primary election, the municipal clerk shall
15 certify to the county clerk the names of all qualified
16 candidates for nomination at the municipal primary election
17 and the office they seek. The number of municipal
18 candidates the voters are entitled to vote for at the
19 primary election is the number of candidates to be elected
20 to municipal offices at the general election.
21
22
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038331HB02491 (d) As used in this chapter:
2
3 (i) "Electioneering communication" means, except
4 as otherwise provided by paragraph (ii) of this subsection,
5 any communication, including an advertisement, which is
6 publicly distributed as a billboard, brochure, email,
7 mailing, magazine, pamphlet or periodical, as the component
8 of an internet website or newspaper or by the facilities of
9 a cable television system, electronic communication
10 network, internet streaming service, radio station,
11 telephone or cellular system, television station or
12 satellite system and which:
13
14 (C) Is made within thirty (30) calendar
15 days of a primary election, sixty (60) calendar
16 days of a general election or twenty-one (21) calendar days
17 of any special election during which the candidate or
18 ballot proposition will appear on the ballot; and
19
20
21
22
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038332HB02491 (c) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no
2 individual other than the candidate, or the candidate's
3 immediate family shall contribute directly or indirectly:
4
5 (i) To any candidate for statewide political
6 office, or to any candidate for statewide political
7 office's candidate's campaign committee:
8
9 (B) Except as otherwise provided in this
10 subparagraph, no contribution for the general election may
11 be given prior to the date for the election.
12 This subparagraph shall not apply to any candidate
13 unopposed in the primary election, successfully nominated
14
15 or nominated in accordance with W.S. 22-4-303 or
16 22-5-301.
17
18 (j) For purposes of subsection (c) of this section
19 the primary, general and special elections shall be
20 deemed separate elections. No candidate for political
21 office shall accept, directly or indirectly, contributions
22 which violate subsection (c) of this section.
23 Contributions to a candidate's campaign committee shall be 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038333HB0249
1 considered to be contributions to the candidate.
2 Subsection (c) of this section does not limit political
3 contributions by political parties, nor expenditures by a
4 candidate from his own funds nor from his candidate's
5 campaign committee funds.
6
7 (m) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no
8 political action committee shall contribute directly or
9 indirectly more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) per
10 election to any candidate for political office other than
11 statewide political office. For purposes of this
12 subsection the primary, general and special
13 elections shall be deemed separate elections. No candidate
14 for political office shall accept, directly or indirectly,
15 contributions which violate this subsection. Contributions
16 to a candidate's campaign committee shall be considered to
17 be contributions to the candidate. This subsection does
18 not limit political contributions by political parties, nor
19 expenditures by a candidate from his own funds nor from his
20 candidate's campaign committee funds.
21
22
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038334HB0249
1
2 No political party funds shall be expended directly or
3 indirectly in the aid of the nomination of any one
4 person as against another person of the same political
5 party running in the a primary or runoff election.
6
7
8
9
10 (a) The secretary of state shall prescribe the forms
11 for reporting contributions and expenditures for primary,
12 general and special election campaigns, together
13 with written instructions for completing the form and a
14 warning that violators are subject to criminal charges and
15 civil penalties if the forms are not completed and filed
16 pursuant to law. The forms along with instructions and
17 warning shall be distributed to the county clerk and shall
18 be made available, whether in electronic or paper form, by
19 the county clerk to each person filing an application for
20 nomination in his office and to each political action
21 committee and candidate's campaign committee required to
22 file with the county clerk.
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038335HB02491
2
3 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (g)
4 and (j) of this section and in addition to other reports
5 required by this subsection:
6
7 (i) Every candidate, whether successful or not,
8 shall file an itemized statement of contributions and
9 expenditures at least seven (7) days but not more than
10 fourteen (14) days before any primary, general or special
11 election, including a runoff election if applicable. Any
12 contribution received or expenditure made after the
13 statement has been filed, through the day of the election,
14 whether a primary, general or special election
15, shall be filed
16 as an amendment to the statement within ten (10) days after
17 the election;
18
19 (b) Reports of itemized statements of contributions
20 and expenditures, and statements of termination shall be
21 made with the appropriate filing officers specified under
22 W.S. 22-25-107 and in accordance with the following:
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038336HB02491 (i) Except as otherwise provided in this
2 section, any political action committee and candidate's
3 campaign committee, or any political action committee
4 formed under the law of another state that contributes to a
5 Wyoming political action committee or to a candidate's
6 campaign committee, that expends any funds in any primary,
7
8 statement of contributions and expenditures at least seven
9 (7) days but not more than fourteen (14) days before any
10 primary, general or special election. Any
11 contribution received or expenditure made after the
12 statement has been filed, through the day of the election,
13 whether a primary, general or special election,
14 shall be filed as an amendment to the statement within ten
15 (10) days after the election;
16
17 (h) An organization that expends in excess of one
18 thousand dollars ($1,000.00) in any primary,
19 general or special election to cause an independent
20 expenditure or electioneering communication to be made
21 shall file an itemized statement of contributions and
22 expenditures with the appropriate filing office under W.S.
23 22-25-107. The statement shall: 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038337HB0249
1
2 (ii) Be filed at least seven (7) days but not
3 more than fourteen (14) days before any primary,
4 general or special election. Any contribution received or
5 expenditure made after the statement has been filed,
6 through the day of the election, whether a primary,
7 general or special election, shall be filed as an amendment
8 to the statement within ten (10) days after the election;
9
10
11
12 (b) Reports required to be filed at least seven (7)
13 days before any primary, general or special
14 election shall be filed electronically.
15
16
17
18
19 (a) Electioneering too close to a polling place or
20 absentee polling place under W.S. 22-9-125 when voting is
21 being conducted, consists of any form of campaigning,
22 including the display of campaign signs or distribution of
23 campaign literature, the soliciting of signatures to any 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038338HB0249
1 petition or the canvassing or polling of voters, except
2 exit polling by news media, within one hundred (100) yards
3 on the day of a primary, general or special
4 election and within one hundred (100) feet on all other
5 days, of any public entrance to the building in which the
6 polling place is located. This section shall not apply to
7 bumper stickers affixed to a vehicle while parked within or
8 passing through the distance specified in this subsection,
9 provided that:
10
11
12
13
14 (a) Between
15
16
17 (90) and seventy (70) days before an organizational
18 election held in conjunction with a May, general, November
19 or mail ballot election held at any other time, the county
20 clerk shall publish at least once in a newspaper of general
21 circulation in each county in which all or part of the
22 proposed district is situated a proclamation setting forth
23 the date of the election, what county clerk is the filing 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038339HB0249
1 officer, the question of formation, what offices are to be
2 filled including the terms of the offices, the
3 filing period for the offices and other pertinent election
4 information. Minor errors in the proclamation shall not
5 invalidate the forthcoming election.
6
7 (b) Between
8
9
10 seventy (70) days before a formation election held in
11 conjunction with a May, general, November or mail ballot
12 election held at any other time, candidates may file an
13 application for election in the office of the county clerk.
14 The principal act shall determine who is eligible to be a
15 candidate. The application shall be in substantially the
16 following form:
17
18 APPLICATION FOR ELECTION
19 SPECIAL DISTRICT DIRECTOR
20
21 I, the undersigned, swear or affirm that I was born on
22 ...., (year); that I have been a resident of .... district
23 since ...., residing at ....; that I am an elector 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038340HB0249
1 or landowner (check which one for eligibility) of said
2 district and I do hereby request that my name, ...., be
3 printed on the ballot of the formation (or other) election
4 to be held on .... day of ...., (year) as a candidate for
5 the office of director for a term of .... years. I hereby
6 declare that if I am elected, I will qualify for the
7 office.
8
9 Dated ....
10
11 ........................
12 Signature of Candidate
13
14. The joint corporations, elections and
15 political subdivisions interim committee shall review the
16 dates for primary elections and runoff elections as
17 specified in sections 1 and 2 of this act. The committee
18 shall consult with the secretary of state and county clerks
19 to determine whether the dates for primary elections and
20 runoff elections will give sufficient time for candidates
21 to register in an election year following the redistricting
22 of the legislature. If the committee determines that the
23 dates will not give sufficient time for candidates to 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038341HB0249
1 register in an election year following the redistricting of
2 the legislature, the committee shall make recommendations
3 for alternative dates of runoff or primary elections or
4 make any other recommendations for statutory revisions that
5 the committee determines would allow for a runoff election
6 in election years following the redistricting of the
7 legislature. The committee shall report the results of the
8 review under this section to management council not later
9 than October 1, 2026.
10
11There is appropriated two million dollars
12 ($2,000,000.00) from the general fund to the runoff
13 election account as created by W.S. 22-5-601(h) in section
14 1 of this act. This appropriation shall not revert as
15 provided by W.S. 22-5-601(h). The secretary of state may
16 request appropriations to the account in the agency's
17 biennial budget request submitted under W.S. 9-2-1013 as
18 necessary to implement runoff elections under W.S. 22-5-601
19 as created by section 1 of this act.
20 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-038342HB02491
2
3 (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this
4 section, this act is effective immediately upon completion
5 of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided
6 by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.
7
8 (b) Sections 1, 2 and 4 of this act are effective
9 July 1, 2025.
10
11 (END)