Candidate filing closes — Primary election field finalized
Candidate filing has officially closed for Wyoming’s 2026 primary election, setting the field of candidates who will compete in August for spots on the November general election ballot.
Weston County voters will see races for county, municipal, legislative, judicial, statewide and federal offices. The Aug. 18 primary election will determine the Republican and Democratic nominees who advance to the Nov. 3 general election, although some races featuring only one candidate from a party are effectively decided unless challenged by a write-in candidate. Wyoming is a closed primary state, so voters must be registered and will cast either a Democratic or Republican ballot, depending on their registration, at the Aug.18 election.
At the local level, all elected county offices will be on the ballot, including county commissioner, clerk, treasurer, sheriff, assessor, county attorney, coroner and clerk of district court.
County commission seats currently held by Chairman Nathan Todd, Vera Huber and Garrett Borton drew seven candidates before filing closed. Those candidates are Todd, Huber, Borton, former commissioner Don Taylor, former House District 1 Rep. Allen Slagle, F. Henry Nessul and Gillian A. Sears, all appearing on the Republican ballot.
The sheriff’s race features Republican incumbent Bryan Colvard and former Upton Police Chief Susan Bridge.
Two candidates filed for county clerk, interim County Clerk Amber Green and Mike Tooman.
Also filing for county office were Clerk of District Court Riki Kaiser, County Assessor Kara Lenardson, County Coroner Scott E. Beachler, County Treasurer Susan Overman and County Attorney Michael Stulken. All of these current elected officials are running unopposed and will appear on the Republican ballot.
Also at the county level are precinct committee races, which are organized by voting precinct. All the following candidates will appear on the Republican ballot. No Democrats filed.
In Precinct 1-1, candidates for committeeman are Jon Tidyman, Ted Ertman, Kenneth Hoffman, Richard Wehri, Michael Chad Sears and Allen Slagle. Candidates for committeewoman are Marty Ertman, Megan Stith, Gillian Sears and Ann Slagle.
In Precinct 1-2, candidates for committeeman are Mike Tooman, Edward Wagoner, Tom Wing and Bill Lambert. Candidates for committeewoman are Karen Drost, Jill Pischke and Marcia Lambert.
In Precinct 2-1, candidates for committeeman are Clay Branscom and Dean J. Rightnowar. Candidates for committeewoman are Joely Rightnowar and Charleen Haynes.
In Precinct 3-1, Curtis Rankin is seeking the committeeman position, while Karol Holland is seeking the committeewoman position.
In Precinct 4-1, Nathan Todd and Cody Barritt have filed for committeeman, while Chelsie Todd and Ragina Barritt have filed for committeewoman.
In Precinct 5-1, Benjamin Roberts, Matt Conzelman and Scott Johnson have filed for committeeman. Candidates for committeewoman are Teresa Gross and Kim Conzelman.
In Precinct 5-2, John Butts and Robert W. Akers are seeking committeeman positions, while Joanna L. Akers and Sue Slagle Mireles have filed for committeewoman.
In Precinct 5-3, Kolby Pisciotti, James Burrough and Jason Jenkins have filed for committeeman. Suzanne Burrough, Tanya-Marie Foote and Riki Kaiser have filed for committeewoman.
No committeeman candidate had filed in Precinct 3-2, while Loretta Moyers is the lone committeewoman candidate in that precinct.
Municipal races remain unchanged from earlier reports. Three Newcastle City Council seats currently held by Don Steveson, Ann McColley and John Butts will be on the ballot. Steveson, Butts and newcomer Wyatt Voelker are the only three to have filed for those seats.
Weston County voters will also decide several legislative races.
In House District 1, Republican Troy Claycomb will face challenger Zeta Nuckolls Anderson.
In House District 2, incumbent Rep. J.D. Williams, R-Lusk, is the lone candidate to file.
Senate District 1 drew the anticipated matchup between incumbent Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, and House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett.
Senate District 3 incumbent Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Torrington, filed for reelection and is unopposed in the primary.
No Democrats filed for any of Weston County’s legislative seats.
Judicial retention races will also appear on the ballot. Weston County is part of the 6th Judicial District, where Circuit Court judges Paul Phillips and Greg R. Steward are seeking retention.
At the statewide level, Wyoming voters will choose nominees for governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer and superintendent of public instruction.
The Republican gubernatorial field includes Brent Bien, Curt Blake, Eric Barlow and Megan Degenfelder, while Democrat Kenneth Casner is unopposed in his party’s primary.
The Republican secretary of state race includes C.J. Young, Jason Fearneyhough, Qwenton Eagle Oviatt, Rachel Williams and Robert Short. Democrat Bryan McCarty is the lone Democratic candidate.
State Auditor Kristi Racines is the sole candidate for that office, while Republicans Curt Meier and Scott Smith filed for state treasurer.
For superintendent of public instruction, Republicans Chad Auer, Steve Harshman and Tom Kelly will compete in the primary, while Democrats Ana Cordova and Sergio Maldonado Sr. will face one another for their party’s nomination.
Federal races also expanded before filing closed.
The Republican field for Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat includes Bo Biteman, Chuck Gray, David Giralt, Frank Chapman, Jillian Balow, Keith Goodenough, Kevin Christensen, Reid Rasner, Richard Dodson and Steve Friess. Democrats Elena Del Real and Lisa Kinney filed for the seat.
In the U.S. Senate race, current Rep. Harriet Hageman will face Republicans Jill M. Edwards, Jimmy Skovgard, John Allan Holtz and Sam Mead in the GOP primary. Democrats Billy Benavidez and James Byrd also filed.
The winners of the Aug. 18 primary election will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
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