The bill amends various sections of the Wyoming Election Code to clarify the roles and responsibilities of poll watchers during elections. It defines a "poll watcher" as a person certified by the county chairman of a political party to observe voter turnout, registration, and vote counting. The bill specifies that poll watchers are not election officials and outlines their authority to observe all aspects of the election process, including setup and shutdown procedures at polling places. Additionally, it establishes that poll watchers must be registered electors residing in the county and belong to the political party they represent. The bill also allows for multiple poll watchers from each political party at polling places serving multiple precincts and provides guidelines for their certification and identification.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new provisions regarding the responsibilities of poll watchers in relation to alternate procedures for collecting and counting absentee ballots. It ensures that poll watchers are allowed to observe the entire election process without disruption and mandates that they be provided with chairs at polling places. The county clerk is given the authority to require poll watchers to wear identification badges, and the secretary of state is empowered to create rules to facilitate the effective functioning of poll watchers. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
26LSO-0045 v0.2: 22-1-102, 22-9-125, 22-12-101, 22-14-102, 22-15-109