Wyoming Primary Early Voting Trails 2022 Historic Levels

Early voting turnout for the 2026 Wyoming primary election is trailing the historic levels recorded in 2022, despite open contests for governor, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House. Maureen Murphy, Teton County Clerk and President of the County Clerks’ Association of Wyoming, and other officials attribute the decline to the lack of a high-intensity race similar to the 2022 contest between Liz Cheney and Harriet Hageman.

Turnout has been further impacted by a 2023 law that reduced the early and absentee voting window from 45 to 28 days. While some counties report that early in-person voting has surpassed 2024 levels, absentee ballot returns have dropped significantly across multiple jurisdictions.

Election clerks report widespread voter confusion regarding a 2023 law establishing deadlines for changing party affiliations and a 2025 rule requiring 30-day residency for voter registration. Sweetwater County Clerk Cindy Swenson noted that the party change deadline has been particularly challenging for voters, while Laramie County Clerk Debbie Flintoff-King reported voter irritation over the volume of political mailers and messages.