AN ACT relating to elections; clarifying that elections shall not be conducted by ranked choice voting; clarifying that ballots are required to specify only one (1) vote per office to be filled; and providing for an effective date.
BudgetElectionsTaxesTechnology
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Representative Webb
Last action
2025-03-18
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2025
Plain English Breakdown
The official source does not provide detailed definitions or explanations of the ranked choice voting process beyond its basic meaning.
Ban on Ranked Choice Voting
This law stops ranked choice voting and requires voters to choose only one candidate for each office.
What This Bill Does
It says that no election in Wyoming can use ranked choice voting.
It clarifies that ballots must specify only one vote per office.
Who It Names or Affects
People who vote in Wyoming elections
Election officials and ballot designers
Terms To Know
Ranked choice voting
A voting method that allows voters to rank candidates for an office in order of preference.
Limits and Unknowns
The law only applies to Wyoming elections.
It does not change how many people can be elected for an office; it just changes the voting method.
This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: The amendment removes specific lines from the bill that relate to the invalidation of certain subsections regarding ranked choice voting.
Removes the phrase 'Any existing' on page 2, line 3.
Deletes lines 4 through 6 entirely on page 2.
Removes the text 'subsection is void.' from page 2, line 7.
The exact content of the deleted lines and its implications are not provided in the amendment text.
Plain English: The amendment proposes to remove a specific line from the bill that relates to ranked choice voting.
Removes line 6 from page 1 of the original bill.
It is unclear what content was in line 6 and how its removal will affect the overall meaning or implementation of the bill.
Bill History
2025-03-18LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 154
2025-03-18Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0071
2025-03-05Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0071
2025-03-05House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0071
2025-03-04LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0071
2025-03-04Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 28-3-0-0-0
2025-03-03Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2025-02-28Senate
S COW:Passed
2025-02-26Senate
S Placed on General File
2025-02-26Senate
S03 - Revenue:Recommend Do Pass 3-2-0-0-0
2025-02-18Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S03 - Revenue
2025-02-12Senate
S Received for Introduction
2025-02-12House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 47-13-2-0-0
2025-02-11House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2025-02-10House
H COW:Passed
2025-02-03House
H Placed on General File
2025-02-03House
H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-1-1-0-0
2025-01-30House
H Introduced and Referred to H02 - Appropriations
2025-01-14House
H Received for Introduction
2025-01-13LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Official Summary Text
Bill Summary - 25LSO-0478
Bill No.:
HB0165
Effective:
7/1/2025
LSO No.:
25LSO-0478
Enrolled Act No.:
HEA No. 0071
Chapter No.:
154
Prime Sponsor:
Webb
Catch Title:
Ranked choice voting-prohibition.
Has Report:
No
Subject:
Ranked choice voting prohibition.
Summary/Major Elements:
This bill specifies that nothing in the Election Code shall be deemed to authorize any election in Wyoming to be conducted through ranked choice voting.
The bill provides a definition of "ranked choice voting".
The bill also clarifies that ballots are required to specify only one (1) vote per office to be filled in the election.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.
While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
25LSO-0478
ORIGINAL House
Bill No
.
HB0165
ENROLLED ACT NO. 71,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session
AN ACT relating to elections; clarifying that elections shall not be conducted by ranked choice voting; clarifying that ballots are required to specify only one (1) vote per office to be filled; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 22
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2
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117(a) and 22
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6
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120(a)(xii) are amended to read:
22
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2
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117.
Vote required for election; ratification.
(a)
Partisan and nonpartisan candidates who receive the largest number of votes for each office to be filled at the general election are elected.
Nothing in this election code shall be deemed to authorize any election in Wyoming to be conducted through ranked choice voting. Any existing or future ordinance enacted or adopted by a county, municipality or any other governmental entity that purports to authorize ranked choice voting in violation of this subsection is void. As used in this subsection, "ranked choice voting" means a voting method that allows voters to rank candidates for an office in order of preference and has ballots cast to be tabulated in multiple rounds following the elimination of a candidate until the candidate or candidates with the most votes are declared winners, or any other system that allows a voter to vote for more than the number of candidates permitted to fill a particular office.
22
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6
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120.
Format of general election ballot.
(a)
The general election ballot shall be printed in substantial compliance with this format:
(xii)
Adjacent to the description of any office
shall be printed "Vote for one" or if the office is
to be filled by more than one (1) candidate shall be printed "Vote For Not More Than", then the appropriate words and figures designating the proper number to be elected;
Section 2
.
This act is effective July 1, 2025
.
(END)
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
Governor
TIME APPROVED: _________
DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.
Chief Clerk
1