Ballot counting — Event to showcase manual ballot-counting process
Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
Weston County residents are invited to attend a public ballot hand-count demonstration Jan. 31 in Newcastle that organizers say is designed to educate the public on the manual vote-counting process.
The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 903 S. Summit Ave., and is open to the public. Organizers say the demonstration is intended to show, step by step, how a hand-count process works and to give attendees an opportunity to observe and participate in a mock count. It is being hosted by the Weston County Republican Party’s Committee of Election Integrity in partnership with the Republican Women of Weston County. A light lunch will be provided.
According to Susan Love, chair of the Weston County Republican Party’s Committee of Election Integrity, the goal is to inform voters about the feasibility of hand counting ballots and to address concerns that the process would be impractical or unreliable.
“We are hoping to enlighten more voters to the possibility of hand counting ballots in Weston County, countering preconceived notions that it is not possible,” Love said in an email. Information gathered from the demonstration, along with cost comparisons and a community survey, will be compiled and presented to the Weston County Board of Commissioners for consideration, she said.
The event follows the passage of a 2024 election integrity resolution by the Weston County Republican Party calling for hand-counted elections to ensure accuracy, transparency and public confidence in election results, according to information provided by Love.
During the demonstration, trainers Jill Kaufman and Mark Koep will guide participants through what is known as the “Golden Standard” hand-count method, she said. The process will include sorting ballots, tallying votes, reconciling totals and documenting results.
Organizers say the procedures closely resemble those that could be used in a real Wyoming election, though no actual election ballots will be used.
Kaufman and Koep are members of Wyoming Election Integrity and have conducted similar trainings across the state, working with citizen groups to demonstrate lawful hand-count procedures and election oversight practices.
Attendees will be divided into teams and will count a sample election of approximately 180 ballots as a hands-on exercise, Love said.
“The demonstration will walk attendees through the full hand-count process, including ballot sorting, tallying, reconciliation, and documentation,” Kaufman and Koep said in an email. “While this is a demonstration and not an official election, the procedures closely mirror what could be used in a real Wyoming election and are presented within the framework of Wyoming election law and standards.”
The hand-count demonstration is part of a broader effort outlined in the committee’s 2026 mission statement, which calls for gathering information on the feasibility, staffing needs, costs and public support for hand counting ballots, with the ultimate goal of presenting findings to county commissioners this spring.
Organizers emphasize that the Jan. 31 event is educational and informational, not an official election or a decision-making forum.
“Organizers hope attendees gain a clearer understanding of the process, the checks and balances involved, and how election integrity can be maintained through citizen oversight,” the email from Kaufman and Koep said. “The goal is education and awareness, not advocacy for any single outcome.”
They said that the event is a non-voting, educational event open to the public.
“Attendees are encouraged to ask questions, observe the process, and learn how elections are safeguarded. The intent is to inform and empower citizens through knowledge, not to promote misinformation or undermine confidence in elections,” the email said.
It noted that some counties in the nation are exploring hand-counting options to “increase transparency, public trust, and confidence in election outcomes.”
“The discussion in Weston County reflects these broader conversations and is focused on understanding options, costs, logistics, and legal considerations—not on implementing immediate changes,” the email said.
For more information, contact Joely Rightnowar or Susan Love, whose contact information is included in the event announcement.