This bill establishes paper ballots as the default voting method for all in-person elections in Wyoming, with provisions for electronic ballot marking devices for accessibility. It outlines a process for the automatic tabulation of paper ballots and details procedures for hand counting during recounts. The legislation also revises the timing for absentee polling places and adjusts primary election and canvassing dates to align with the new hand counting requirements. Additionally, it creates an election recount account to fund hand recount costs and introduces a definition of "recount" that includes both hand counting and electronic processing.

Key amendments include new deposit amounts for recount requests based on the recount method, with a maximum of $1,000 for electronic recounts and $5,000 for hand counts. The bill stipulates that if a recount reveals sufficient error to alter the election result, the county will cover the expenses, while applicants will be responsible for costs if the outcome remains unchanged. It also modifies the timing of the state canvassing board's meeting and clarifies county clerks' responsibilities regarding voting methods in multi-county districts. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and appropriates $200,000 from the general fund to the election recount account.

Statutes affected:
26LSO-0049 v0.3: 22-1-102, 22-2-104, 22-8-102, 22-8-108, 22-9-125, 22-10-102, 22-11-102, 22-14-114, 22-16-103, 22-16-109, 22-16-110, 22-16-111, 22-16-113, 22-16-118, 22-21-109, 22-22-203