Voters may need to reregister ahead of 2024 elections

BUFFALO — Wyoming voters may need to re-register to vote after a purge removed 86,000 registered voters, including 646 Johnson County voters, from the rolls.

Wyoming law requires county clerks every two years to remove the names of voters who did not vote in the most recent general election. This means that voters who voted in the 2020 general election but did not vote in the 2022 general election may no longer be registered to vote.

AARP state President Sam Shumway said in a press release that even if voters voted in the 2022 primary elections, they could still be unregistered.

“We recommend you register right away, as rules that will make the process more difficult could be coming,” Shumway said.

Wyoming had over 302,000 registered voters in 2022, compared with just 218,000 for 2024, according to data from the Wyoming secretary of state. In Johnson County, that number went from 5,150 in 2022 to 4,504 at present.

New challenges for voters include a requirement to register party affiliation 96 days before the primary election, as a result of the political party affiliation declaration bill passed in 2023 that bans crossover voting.

“If you voted in the 2022 general election and are registered in the party whose primary election you want to vote in, nothing more is required of you,” Shumway said. “If you want to change your party affiliation for the primary, make sure you contact your clerk by May 15.”

County Clerk Jackie Camino said that if you want to change your party affiliation, she recommends you do it sooner than later. This will help avoid a potential bottleneck on May 15, which could mean people have to deal with a wait time.

Another change that came from the Legislature last year was an election security bill that reduced the early voting period from 45 to 28 days.

"Secretary of State Chuck Gray's proposed changes to the state's voting rules, released this fall, could also make it difficult to register to vote for those who do not have valid, current driver's licenses, such as nursing home residents or older Wyomingites who have stopped driving,” according to the press release.

The proposed rule changes would require potential voters to provide proof of identification and proof of residency when they register.

Gov. Mark Gordon hasn't decided on Gray's proposed changes yet.

Camino said she is unsure of what the future holds but hopes to have Gordon's decision soon. The rule change could mean a hassle for the clerk's office if Gordon's decision arrives close to the primary.

“Things have been getting thrown at us clerks left and right,” Camino said.

Wyoming's primary election is scheduled for Aug. 20, and the general election is set for Nov. 5. Prospective voters can register at the county clerk's office with a valid form of identification.

For more information on Wyoming's voter registration laws, visit https://sos.wyo.gov/Elections/State/ RegisteringToVote.aspx.

This story was published on March 28, 2024.