This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
The secretary of state’s office is updating election procedures to incorporate new requirements to register to vote. Public comment will be accepted through June 20.
The notice of intent to adopt the rules, along with the rule change language itself, is available here.
Earlier this year, lawmakers required future voters to establish 30-day residency in the state before registering to vote. Registering voters must also show proof of citizenship, in addition to a valid Wyoming, military or tribal ID.
Wyoming residency can be proven with a utility bill, bank statement, pay stub or housing verification.
Public comments can be submitted by email to Joe.Rubino1@wyo.gov. There’ll also be a hearing on June 4 at 3 p.m. at the Capitol Extension Conference Center in Cheyenne and remotely on Zoom. Register for the remote option here.
The law the rule change is based on, HB 156, goes into effect July 1. It would first apply to the 2026 primary election.
While the requirements sailed through the Legislature, Gov. Mark Gordon did not sign HB 156, instead allowing it to become law without his John Hancock.
In a letter outlining his reasoning, he pointed out discrepancies between the law and the Wyoming Constitution. For example, the constitution defines residency as one year while the law only requires 30 days. He also said the new “any indication” standard to reject a voter’s registration may be difficult for county clerks to apply consistently and with any degree of certainty, as it’s “unclear and perhaps awkward.”
Ultimately, Gordon said the law will most likely invite litigation. He ended his letter writing, “because it is laudable to continuously improve our standards for identification, I am thrilled that this legislation now gives the Secretary of State the authority he was trying to usurp by passing rules he had no authority to pass last spring. The will of the Legislature is finally clear on this point. Let us remember, though, it is ultimately essential and core to the workings of both our Wyoming and United States Constitutions that a bona fide citizen be able to vote without undue difficulty, and that right should not be abridged or diminished as a result of measures taken to conduct an election.”
Gordon said he believed the act, “although redundant – offers some useful improvements.”
Meanwhile Sec. of State Chuck Gray has long and vocally supported the requirements.
“Requiring proof of citizenship and proof of residency for voter registration has been a key priority of our administration,” Gray said in a press release. “Only U.S. citizens, and only Wyomingites, should be voting in Wyoming elections. The proposed revisions are key to fulfilling HEA 57, which was our number one priority during the 2025 Legislative Session. Ensuring that those who register to vote in Wyoming must provide proof of U.S. citizenship and proof of Wyoming residency is pivotal to election integrity and security for Wyoming.”
A similar push for proof of citizenship in order to vote is happening at the federal level.
In March Pres. Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in its national mail voter registration form, among other requirements. A federal judge blocked portions of the order in April.
The U.S. House also passed a bill requiring individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or “SAVE Act,” has been received in the Senate.
