The Wyoming Supreme Court has ruled that the Uinta County Republican Party must follow state rules concerning its internal elections. This sets a precedent for all county-level political parties despite their status as private organizations.
County-level political parties like the Uinta County Republicans are run by a precinct committee. That committee is elected by members of the party during primary elections, when registered Republicans or Democrats vote on who will represent their neighborhood at local party meetings.
The precinct committee then votes for its own internal leaders — and according to a recent state supreme court ruling — only the elected precinct committee members can take part in that vote.
"The statute clearly designated a specific group of people who could vote — the county central committee. That committee is made up of precinct committee persons elected in the preceding year's primary," the ruling states. "By specifying the county central committee as who 'shall elect' its officers, the legislature chose to restrict the eligible voters in such elections."
The question came before the Wyoming Supreme Court because, in 2021, people who were not actively elected committee members in the Uinta County GOP took part in the vote for its internal leaders.
Some of the duly elected precinct members challenged the election in a lawsuit, arguing the vote took away the voice of the people who voted for them. But the Uinta County District Court ruled against them, issuing a decision that stated the local party could set its own rules for electing its chairperson and state delegates.
Those duly elected members appealed the decision and the Wyoming Supreme Court issued its own ruling last month. The state supreme court sided with the elected members, setting a precedent in the state that only elected precinct committee members can vote in such elections.
In its ruling, the court acknowledged that it usually stays out of political party matters, except where there is "clear and unambiguous" direction from the state legislature. It argued this was just such a case. The court further stated it has jurisdiction in this matter because — even though political parties are private organizations — they take part in government processes, like government vacancy appointments.
The supreme court returned the case to the lower court "for further proceedings consistent with this decision."
