The bill revises Wyoming's election laws to create new procedures for filling vacancies in federal and state offices, including the governor, United States senator, and state legislature members. It establishes that if a vacancy occurs with more than one hundred ten days remaining in the term, a special election must be held, aligning with primary or general election dates. The bill outlines the responsibilities of the governor or acting governor in declaring a vacancy and issuing a writ of election, while also detailing the qualifications and nomination processes for candidates. A significant change is the replacement of the previous sixty-day requirement with the new one hundred ten-day threshold for calling a special election.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that candidates for unexpired terms who were not registered with a party at the time of the vacancy may only run as independents. It sets forth procedures for conducting special elections, including ballot preparation similar to general elections, and specifies detailed requirements for ballot format. The legislation also modifies the vacancy filling process in the state legislature, stating that if a vacancy occurs with less than half of the term remaining, the position will be filled by appointment rather than election. Notification procedures for resignations and the selection of temporary successors are established, ensuring involvement from the appropriate political party committees in the appointment process. Overall, the bill aims to streamline election and appointment processes while providing a clear pathway for independent candidates.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 9-1-212, 9-1-802, 22-2-101, 22-2-104, 22-2-109, 22-2-110, 22-2-111, 22-6-112, 22-6-117, 22-6-121, 22-6-122, 22-6-125, 22-18-103, 22-18-109, 22-18-111, 28-1-106