Wyoming secretary outlines failed 2025 election bills, urges interim study

Secretary Gray, Wyoming Secretary of State, reviewed a slate of election bills that fell short in the 2025 session and urged the Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions interim committee to prioritize and refine them.

Gray said many measures were grouped into five categories and called out specific bills by number, including “chain of custody. In house bill 1 31, ballot drop boxes prohibition,” and a set on hand counts and audits such as “House bill 2 17, random hand count audits of election results” and “House bill 2 32, elections hand counting for recounts.” He described other priorities as “House bill 2 15 is the prohibition on electronic voting equipment,” and “House bill 2 45, pen and paper ballots.”

The secretary framed the bills as technical and procedural moves to restore or strengthen chain of custody and public confidence. He recommended combining closely related measures and asked the committee to use the interim to prepare engrossed drafts. Representative Weber proposed that the Legislative Service Office draft a group of bills for the next meeting; Representative Webb’s motion to ask LSO to prepare a package that included several bills (and HB 1 56 cleanup language) passed on a voice vote, with Representative Lucas indicating support.

Why it matters: the package covers steps that would change how ballots are cast, handled and recounted statewide — from banning drop boxes and ballot harvesting to requiring more hand counts, restricting…