Wyoming voters are just days out from heading to the polls for the Aug. 18 primary, which means election officials are already in high swing testing the machines that turn blots on paper into verdicts on leadership.
This year, Teton County Clerk Maureen “Mo” Murphy and her staff are accommodating a handful of new election laws.
Within nine days of this year's primary, 5% of ballots will be hand counted to audit the machines. Another change in Wyoming this year: New or reregistering voters have to prove they've lived here for at least 30 days. If potential voters don’t have a Wyoming ID, they need to offer proof that they live here.
The results of test decks will be posted online for the first time this year, so voters can ensure the machines are working properly. A half-dozen Jackson residents came to the in-person portion of a July 8 test, more than in past years, according to Murphy. They were from the League of Women Voters and the local political parties.
“Some, who may believe that there is election tampering, should actually be here to realize that it's not possible and it doesn't happen,” said Julien Hass, a Teton County Democratic Party secretary.
After 30 minutes of feeding the ballots into machines resembling small refrigerators with computers, scanners and receipt-printers, Teton County GOP Chair Kat Rueckert found a ballot with the wrong date on the top.
“Thank you for catching this,” another resident said, while Murphy hurried off to notify the state to make sure it was promptly corrected.
It was eye-opening to see the security protocols, Rueckert said. She encourages anyone with concerns to see the process for themselves.
“It is time to get engaged instead of complaining about things we don’t take the time to be a part of,” she said.
The testing comes as Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray and President Donald Trump continue to spread concerns about election integrity.
Gray has prioritized tracking down noncitizen voters, flagging four potential violators in the past two years. One in Teton County was referred for prosecution. The Teton County Prosecuting Attorney’s office did not return a request for comment on the case.
It was the first referral since 2021, when a man with convicted felonies was jailed for “false voting” after not following proper steps to restore his voting rights.
As recently as this month, Gray and Trump warned about Chinese interference in U.S. elections. According to NPR, countries such as Russia and Iran have tried to influence American elections by "spreading false or misleading claims and attempting to hack campaigns."
Experts acknowledge voting vulnerabilities, such as a recent error in New Jersey that resulted in 400 noncitizens voting. But they also distinguish between attempts to influence elections and interference with election infrastructure such as voting machines.
David Becker, director of the D.C.-based Center for Election Innovation and Research, said there's no evidence of widespread interference or noncitizen voting.
“We're not seeing influence by leaders or by some vast conspiratorial cabal to change elections. We have so many protections in place that prevent that,” he said.
Becker offered a similar call to action as Rueckert, noting that few people come to the public elections tests.
“It's not very exciting,” he said. “It's understandable, but a lot of the people who are spreading disinformation about our voting machines are not attending the very open and transparent testing where almost anyone can see how those machines are protected.”
Hass and Rueckert left the test at the Teton County administration building feeling that the machines were reliable.
“It feels safe and very similar to every other country,” Hass said.
Rueckert said it was a great process to be part of.
“They spend a lot of time testing the machines to ensure quality elections,” she said.
