HB0209 • 2020

Change in party affiliation.

AN ACT relating to elections; revising provisions relating to political party affiliation changes by electors; and providing for an effective date.

Elections

Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor: Representative Blackburn
Last action: 2020-03-11
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was marked as inactive and did not become law, so its provisions are not enforceable.

Change in Party Affiliation Rules

The bill revises the rules for electors to change their political party affiliation in Wyoming.

What This Bill Does

Allows voters to change their party affiliation by signing an application with a notary or election official and filing it with the county clerk.
Requires that applications be filed at least two weeks before primary elections, on election day, or when requesting an absentee ballot.

Who It Names or Affects

Voters who want to change their political party affiliation in Wyoming.

Terms To Know

Elector: A person who is eligible to vote in an election.
Notarial Officer: An official authorized to witness and sign documents, such as a notary public.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone tries to change their party affiliation less than two weeks before an election.
This bill was marked as inactive and did not become law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB0209H3001

3rd reading • Representative Sommers

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes newly added language and reinstates the original wording regarding changes in political party affiliation for voters.

Removes any new provisions that were previously added to the bill about changing political party affiliation.
Restores the original text of HB0209 before any amendments were made.

The amendment does not provide specific details on what exact language was removed or reinserted, so it's unclear exactly which parts of the bill are affected beyond restoring the previous version.

HB0209HS001

Standing Committee • House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivis

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the date when certain election rules about changing political party affiliation take effect.

Changes the effective date from July 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021.

The exact nature of the election rules being modified is not provided in this amendment text.

Bill History

2020-03-11 Senate
S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4
2020-03-11 Senate
S No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2020-03-02 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations
2020-03-02 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2020-02-28 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 44-14-2-0-0
2020-02-27 House
H 3rd Reading:Laid Back
2020-02-26 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2020-02-25 House
H COW:Passed
2020-02-21 House
H Placed on General File
2020-02-21 House
H07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 8-1-0-0-0
2020-02-14 House
H Introduced and Referred to H07 - Corporations 40-17-3-0-0
2020-02-12 House
H Received for Introduction
2020-02-11 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

20LSO-0341
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0341
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0209

Change in party affiliation.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Blackburn, Clem, Edwards, Gray, Hallinan, Jennings, Laursen, Lindholm, Miller, Piiparinen, Salazar, Stith, Styvar and Washut and Senator(s) Biteman, Driskill and Steinmetz

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to elections; revising provisions relating to political party affiliation changes by electors; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 22
‑
5
‑
212 and 22
‑
5
‑
214 are amended to read:

22
‑
5
‑
212.

When declaration of party affiliation required.

An elector requesting a major party ballot must declare his party affiliation, or sign an application for change of
affiliation
in accordance with W.S. 22
‑
5
‑
214,

before he may receive a party ballot. An elector may vote only the nonpartisan ballot and if so, is not required to declare his party affiliation. Requesting a partisan primary election ballot constitutes a declaration of party affiliation. A change in declaration of party affiliation shall
conform to W.S. 22
‑
5
‑
214 and
be entered on the poll list by the election judge.

22
‑
5
‑
214.

Change in party affiliation.

(a)

An elector may change his party affiliation, except as otherwise specified in subsection (b) of this section, by completing an application signed before a notarial officer or election official and filing it with the county clerk not less than fourteen (14) days before the primary election or at the polls on the day of the primary or general election, or when requesting an absentee ballot.

(b)

An elector may change his party affiliation
from one (1) major political party to another major political party
by completing an application signed before a notarial
officer or election official
,
and filing it with the county clerk not less than fourteen (14) days before the primary election or at the polls on the day of the
primary or
general election, or when requesting an absentee ballot.

Section 2.

This act is effective January 1, 2021.

(END)

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HB0209