This bill establishes paper ballots as the default voting method for all in-person elections in Wyoming, while permitting counties to offer electronic ballot marking devices for those who prefer them. The paper ballots are required to be designed for automatic tabulation to ensure accurate vote counting. The legislation also introduces a process for hand counting votes during recounts, revises absentee polling place hours, and adjusts the dates for primary elections and canvassing to align with the new hand counting procedures. Key amendments include a broader definition of "recount" to include both hand counting and electronic processing, as well as the creation of a new election recount account to finance hand recounts.

Additionally, the bill modifies the deposit requirements for requesting recounts, setting a maximum deposit of $1,000 for electronic recounts and $5,000 for hand counts. It stipulates that if a recount uncovers enough errors to alter the election results, the county will cover the costs and refund the deposit. The timeline for the state canvassing board's meetings is changed to the third Wednesday after the election, and county clerks are allowed to use electronic voting systems for bond elections, with the political subdivision responsible for the costs. The bill also repeals certain existing laws and allocates $200,000 from the general fund to the election recount account, with an effective date of July 1, 2026.

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