This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series brings you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
Federal election monitors will be in Cheyenne again for the general election. Two monitors were present during the primary in August.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) appointed a district election officer for Wyoming to oversee Election Day complaints.
Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee issued a press release on Tuesday, Oct. 27, confirming the DOJ Civil Rights Division said federal election monitors will be at the state’s capital city and largest county next Tuesday.
“Unlike their visit during the Primary Election, however, monitors won’t be allowed inside polling places and must remain 100 yards from the polls, in accordance with state law and a recent Wyoming Attorney General’s opinion,” the release reads.
It references an Oct. 16 opinion from state Attorney General Keith Kautz, requested by Lee’s office to clarify who can be inside polling places during an election and the extent of the DOJ’s authority.
“DOJ Civil Rights Division ‘monitors’ have no statutory authority to enter access-controlled areas in Wyoming polling places absent a cort order, consent decree, or settlement agreement,” the opinion reads.
Lee also said she held a virtual meeting on Monday with other county officials, where DOJ representatives said they had received the attorney generals’ opinion and would “conduct observations and interviews only with voters who agree to be interviewed, outside the 100-yard restricted boundary around polling places, as required by state law. Monitors will identify themselves to voters and wear official badges issued by the Clerk’s office.”
The opinion comes after Gov. Mark Gordon raised concern that state officials were not given advance notice about the DOJ’s presence in Cheyenne for the primary election.
“The director of Homeland Security … [said] … that she was unaware of it,” Gordon said during the certification of the primary election. “The attorney general was unaware of it. The [Laramie County] clerk, I think in the back of the room, was completely unaware of it. To my knowledge, the U.S. attorney was unaware of it.”
A representative for the secretary of state’s office, which oversees elections, said the office had received an email ahead of the visit and that Wyoming election law allows for observers. In addition, Wyoming’s U.S. Attorney issued a press release on the day of the primary saying his office was monitoring polling sites in Wyoming in coordination with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The release did not indicate where this monitoring would occur.
Now, with less than a week to go before the general election, Lee says her office appreciates the DOJ’s advance communication.
“We have a game plan now. Our office is finalizing preparations for the monitors’ arrival, including briefings for poll workers and election staff, and meetings with the Sheriff’s office and other local and state security partners. We are committed to following Wyoming law and protecting the rights of our citizens to vote privately, safely, securely, and without disruption or interference,” she said.
She added that the federal monitors did not identify any concerns regarding Laramie County’s compliance with federal statutes during the primary.
“Although DOJ election monitoring for compliance with civil and voting rights laws is common in many parts of the country, it is a unique experience for Wyoming. Former senior staff of the Wyoming Secretary of State contacted by Lee said they had no recollection of DOJ monitors visiting Wyoming polls in at least 40 years, if ever,” her office wrote.
NPR reports that DOJ officials have said they expect this to be the largest monitoring effort in the department's history with more than 1,000 election monitors going out in the field.
As of Wednesday, no other county clerk in the state has announced there will be election monitors. However, the DOJ won’t disclose the full list of locations where monitors will be until Election Day.
Federal election officer
On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Darin Smith announced that Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Naiman will head up coordination with the DOJ’s nationwide election monitoring program.
“Naiman will oversee Election Day complaints,” a press release from the attorney’s office reads. “Working in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C., his responsibilities include addressing voting rights concerns, election fraud allegations, and threats of violence directed at election officials or staff.”
The role of district election officer was held by Stephanie Sprecher, executive assistant U.S. attorney, in 2024.
Naiman was previously deputy secretary of state under Secretary of State Chuck Gray and was previously a senior assistant in the Wyoming attorney general’s office, according to Cowboy State Daily reporting.
A Wyoming Public Media review of election and voting complaints submitted to the Wyoming secretary of state’s office in 2025 found the majority claimed mistakes or wrongdoing by officials, followed by complaints about mailers.
The attorney’s office wants members of the public to report election fraud, voter intimidation, civil rights violations or other unlawful election-related activity to the appropriate channels.
Election fraud or voting irregularities: Contact local law enforcement or the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office at 307-777-5860.
Federal election-related concerns: Contact DOJ District Election Officer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Naiman, who will be on duty throughout the election, at 307-772-2997.
Voter discrimination or civil rights violations: Submit a complaint through the https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or call 1-800-253-3931.
Reports may also be submitted through the https://tips.fbi.gov/home or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
