The Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee approved 26 LSO 0050, a bill to clarify voter-registration rules related to durational residency and age-18 eligibility and to adjust the statutory effective date to accommodate changes to the state voter registration system.

Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray briefed the committee, explaining that existing statutes create a scenario where an individual may lawfully register to vote for a future election but not be eligible to vote in the immediately upcoming election because of the 30-day durational residency requirement. He said the draft would address that implementation issue and the related statutory conflict about whether an 18th birthday must occur on a fixed date or by the election at which the person offers to vote.

Joe Rubino, policy director and counsel for the secretary of state, proposed a technical amendment moving the bill’s effective date from July 1, 2026, to June 1, 2026, to allow time for WIOREG (the state voter registration system) modifications before peak UOCAVA processing. County clerks and the clerks’ association, represented by Maureen Murphy (Teton County Clerk), testified in favor and said the change and date amendment would ease implementation.

The committee adopted the date amendment and approved the draft for final introduction on a roll-call vote. Committee members asked clarifying questions about related candidacy residency provisions; staff and counsel said those candidate-residency issues are different and would require separate statutory fixes.

Votes at a glance: Committee adopted the date amendment (move to June 1, 2026) and approved 26 LSO 0050 as a committee-sponsored draft by roll call; clerks’ association testified in support.

Outlook: The bill will be introduced with the technical amendment; clerks and the secretary of state will coordinate WIOREG updates and implementation resources before the statutory effective date.