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25LSO-0504
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0504
ENGROSSED
3.0
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0245
Pen and paper ballots.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Knapp, Brown, G, Haroldson and Locke and Senator(s) McKeown
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to elections; requiring counties to use pen and paper as the default method to mark ballots for elections in Wyoming; providing an exception; making conforming amendments; 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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13
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119 is created to read:
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13
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119.
Paper ballots required; exceptions.
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each county shall provide paper ballots and pens as the default method to mark ballots for all in
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person voting in all elections in Wyoming. The county clerk shall provide all voters with a paper ballot and a pen to mark the ballot secretly as provided in this Election Code.
(b)
Subsection (a) of this section shall not prohibit any county clerk from providing electronic ballot marking devices for use by persons with disabilities. Electronic ballot marking devices shall comply with all federal accessibility requirements, including under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, P.L. 107-252, and shall conform with the requirements of this Election Code for voting machines and electronic voting systems. Nothing in this subsection shall authorize any county to use electronic ballot marking devices as the default method of marking ballots in the county.
(c)
As used in this section:
(i)
"Disability" has the meaning stated in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008;
(ii)
"Electronic ballot marking device" means any electronic device that assists voters in marking ballots, including, without limitation, any voting machine that uses a touch screen to produce a marked paper ballot or ballot card.
Section 2.
W.S. 22
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10
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102, 22
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102, 22
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21
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109 and 22
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22
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203(b) are amended to read:
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102.
Selection by county commissioners.
Subject to the limitations of W.S. 22
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119, t
he board of county commissioners may adopt for use in any precinct in the county a type of voting machine meeting the standards specified in W.S. 22
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101.
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102.
Use authorized; purchase or lease.
Subject to the limitations of W.S. 22
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119, t
he board of county commissioners of each county may adopt for use, either experimentally or permanently, in any election in any or all polling places within the county, any electronic voting system authorized by law.
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21
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109.
Supplies; regulations; costs.
Subject to the limitations of W.S. 22
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119, t
he county clerk may utilize voting machines or electronic voting systems at any bond election and may prescribe the form of the ballot, the duties of election officials, and other reasonable regulations pertaining thereto. The political subdivision holding the bond election shall pay the actual costs of the election or an equitably proportioned share of a concurrent election, as determined by the county clerk.
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203.
Determining validity of application; placement on ballot; procedure for multi
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county districts.
(b)
Subject to the limitations of W.S. 22
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13
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119, e
ach county clerk in each election involving a school or community college district which crosses county boundaries shall determine whether voting machines, electronic voting system, paper ballots, or a combination thereof, shall be used to
insure
ensure
that each qualified elector votes only for the candidate or candidates from the school district and trustee residence area, if any, and from the community college district and subdistrict, if any, for which he is entitled to vote.
Section 3
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This act is effective July 1, 2025
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(END)
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HB0245