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HB0160 • 2021
Election ballot order.
AN ACT relating to elections; amending the process to determine the position of candidates on the general election ballot; and providing for an effective date.
Elections
Did Not Pass
The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.
- Sponsor
- Representative Burt
- Last action
- 2021-03-12
- Official status
- inactive
- Effective date
- 3/1/2021
Plain English Breakdown
The bill did not pass and its exact implementation is uncertain.
Election Ballot Order
The bill changes how candidates' names are ordered on the general election ballot in Wyoming.
What This Bill Does
- Changes the process for determining the order of political parties and independent candidates on the general election ballot.
- Requires that the names of candidates be listed randomly instead of alphabetically or by vote count.
- Updates the format to include separate columns for party and independent candidates.
Who It Names or Affects
- Voters in Wyoming who participate in general elections.
- County clerks responsible for printing election ballots.
- Candidates running for office in Wyoming.
Terms To Know
- Randomization
- The process of arranging candidates' names randomly on the ballot instead of alphabetically or by vote count.
- Precinct
- A specific area within a county where elections are held and votes are counted.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill did not pass in its session.
- It is unclear how the randomization process will be implemented or overseen by election officials.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: The amendment changes how the names of candidates appear on general election ballots, specifying that partisan party candidates and independent candidates should be listed separately with their respective party or 'Independent' labels.
- Adds a new section to specify that the names of partisan party candidates and independent candidates must be printed in separate columns or rows on the ballot.
- Requires the name of the party or the word 'Independent' to appear directly above each candidate's name or at the end of the row.
- Gives county clerks discretion to designate separate vertical columns or rows for multiple candidates from the same party or independent status.
- The amendment text does not specify how non-partisan candidates are treated, which may be unclear without additional context.
HB0160HW001
Committee of the Whole • Representative Burt
Adopted
Plain English: The amendment changes how candidate names are arranged and rotated on general election ballots.
- Adds new rules for printing partisan party candidates' and independent candidates' names in separate columns or rows with their respective labels (party name or 'Independent').
- Specifies that county clerks can designate separate vertical columns or rows for multiple candidates of the same party or independents.
- Modifies existing text to clarify that candidate names should be rotated as set forth in a new section, W.S. 22-6-122.
- The amendment includes technical legal language and references to specific sections of the Wyoming Statutes which may require further context for full understanding.
HB0160HS001
Standing Committee • House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivis
Failed
Plain English: The amendment changes how candidates' names are ordered on election ballots and adds rules for randomizing the order of candidate names.
- Adds a new section to specify that partisan party candidates and independent candidates will be listed in separate columns or rows with their party name or 'Independent' above their names.
- Changes the word 'alphabetical' to 'randomized' when listing candidates on ballots.
- Removes references to a rotation system for candidate order and replaces them with a new section detailing how candidate names should be randomized across precincts.
- The amendment text does not specify the exact method of randomization, leaving some details unclear.
Bill History
-
2021-03-12
House
H 3rd Reading:Failed 17-43-0-0-0
-
2021-03-11
House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
-
2021-03-10
House
H 2nd Reading:Laid Back
-
2021-03-09
House
H COW:Passed
-
2021-03-04
House
H Placed on General File
-
2021-03-04
House
H07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 6-3-0-0-0
-
2021-03-02
House
H Introduced and Referred to H07 - Corporations
-
2021-03-01
House
H Received for Introduction
-
2021-02-27
LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
21LSO-0311
2021
STATE OF WYOMING
21LSO-0311
Introduced
2.0
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0160
Election ballot order.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Burt, Clifford, Duncan, Fortner, Provenza, Yin and Zwonitzer and Senator(s) James
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to elections; amending the process to determine the position of candidates on the general election ballot; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
W.S. 22
‑
6
‑
121(a) is amended to read:
22
‑
6
‑
121.
Order of candidates' names.
(a)
Political party position shall be determined on the general election ballot according to the number of votes received by each party within the county for the
office of representative in congress at the last preceding general election.
The party receiving the highest number of votes shall appear first following the names of the offices to be voted for and other parties shall follow in the order of their respective numbers of such votes.
The order of any provisional parties will be drawn by the secretary of state.
Any independent
For the general election ballot,
candidates
shall appear following the last party and
shall be listed in alphabetical order, subject to rotation.
When more than one (1) candidate is to be elected to a particular office, the names of candidates shall be printed in alphabetical order, subject to rotation, on all ballots for electronic and machine voting systems as defined by W.S. 22-1-102.
Section 2
.
This act is effective July 1, 2021
.
(END)
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HB0160