Wyoming voters can now vote early or request an absentee ballot for this year’s primary election. For those who are already registered, here’s how to vote outside of Aug. 18, which is election day:
Absentee voting:
- Ballots can be requested from a county clerk’s office no later than Aug. 17.
- Ballots must be filled out, submitted and received by the county clerk’s office no later than 7 pm on election day.
- Ballots can be mailed to the county clerk’s office, returned in person, or dropped in a secure drop box. The counties with secure drop boxes for this election include Albany, Laramie, Sweetwater and Teton counties.
Early Voting:
- Voting can be done in person at specific early voting satellite locations in each county. Early voting must be done at one of these sites, not an election day polling location.
- Voting lasts through Aug. 17.
Every year, county clerks must purge their voter registration records. Those who didn’t vote in the 2024 general election received notices asking whether or not they wished to stay on the voter roll. Kayla White, the Albany County Clerk, said some voters may need to re-register if they didn’t respond to that notice.
“Anybody that did not vote in that general election gets a purge notice,” White said. “If they did not reply back to us letting us know that they wanted to remain on the voter roll, then they did get purged. If they did get purged, then yes, they would have to re-register for this election.”
Some counties, like Albany County, are also moving to utilize Vote Centers this year. That means voters who vote on election day can cast their ballots at any designated Vote Center no matter where their assigned precinct is located. These centers use electronic poll books, which check voters in and scan their identifications virtually. They also connect Vote Centers together electronically. That means when a voter shows up to a location that isn’t their designated polling place, their information can be shared instantly.
White said voters will also have to show I.D. on election day. She said a Wyoming driver’s license will suffice for most people, but those who provide alternative forms of identification may need to supplement with proof of residency. Voters must have proof of residency in the state for at least 30 days before election day.
“Making sure that voters realize you do have to show I.D. to vote on election day,” White said. “If you have anything other than a Wyoming driver’s license, you will have to prove residency either with a utility bill, a bank statement—something that has that Wyoming address on it.”
Voters who mail in an absentee ballot are not required to provide any additional forms of identification.
