HB0085 • 2026

Post-election audit procedures.

AN ACT relating to elections; requiring minutes to be taken for the post-election ballot audit; requiring observation of the post-election ballot audit procedures and results; specifying requirements for observation by representatives of political parties and independent candidates; 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: Mgt Audit
Last action: 2026-02-26
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2026

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so it has no effective date.

Post-election Ballot Audit Procedures

The bill requires county clerks to take minutes during post-election ballot audits and allows representatives from political parties and independent candidates to observe the audit process.

What This Bill Does

Requires county clerks to conduct a post-election ballot audit using a statistically significant sample size.
Recommends that county clerks notify party chairs and independent candidates about the time and place of the audit.
Allows at least two electors from different political parties to observe the audit process.
Specifies that observers must take an oath as election officials before observing the audit.

Who It Names or Affects

County clerks who conduct post-election ballot audits
Representatives from political parties and independent candidates

Terms To Know

Post-election ballot audit: A review of election results using a sample of ballots to check for accuracy.
Statistically significant sample size: The number of ballots chosen to ensure the audit is accurate and reliable.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass in its current session.
Details about how observers can report errors or objections are limited.
Specific penalties for non-compliance with the requirements are not mentioned.

Amendments

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

HB0085HS001

Standing Committee • House Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water

Adopted

Plain English: 1 HB0085HS001 1 Page 2-line 20 Delete "21-8-115" and insert "22-8-115".

1 HB0085HS001 1 Page 2-line 20 Delete "21-8-115" and insert "22-8-115".
2 WINTER, CHAIRMAN

HB0085SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Schuler

Adopted

Plain English: 1 HB0085SW001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY) 1 Page 2-line 16 After "audit" insert "and shall take the oath 2 for election officials as provided in W.S.

1 HB0085SW001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY) 1 Page 2-line 16 After "audit" insert "and shall take the oath 2 for election officials as provided in W.S.
22- 3 8-115".
4 5 Page 2-line 18 After "conducted" insert "but are not 6 permitted to view the ballot images and cast 7 vote records"; delete "Each person present 8 to".
9 10 Page 2-line 19 Delete entirely.

HB0085SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivi

Adopted

Plain English: 1 HB0085SS001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY) 1 Page 2-line 12 Before "Not" insert "At the county clerk's 2 discretion,"; after "(2)" insert "but not more 3 than a number that will ensure an orderly 4 audit".

1 HB0085SS001 (TO ENGROSSED COPY) 1 Page 2-line 12 Before "Not" insert "At the county clerk's 2 discretion,"; after "(2)" insert "but not more 3 than a number that will ensure an orderly 4 audit".
5 6 Page 2-line 13 After "shall be" insert "of different 7 political affiliations"; delete 8 "representatives of".
9 10 Page 2-line 14 Delete "different political parties".
11 12 Page 2-line 16 After "representatives" delete "and" and 13 insert ",".

Bill History

2026-02-26 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Failed 9-21-1-0-0
2026-02-25 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2026-02-24 Senate
S COW:Passed
2026-02-20 Senate
S Placed on General File
2026-02-20 Senate
S07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0
2026-02-16 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations
2026-02-16 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2026-02-13 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-1-1-0-0
2026-02-12 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2026-02-11 House
H COW:Passed
2026-02-10 House
H Placed on General File
2026-02-10 House
H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2026-02-09 House
H Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture 62-0-0-0-0
2026-02-05 House
H Received for Introduction
2026-02-02 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

26LSO-0250
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0250
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0085

Post-election audit procedures.

Sponsored by: Management Audit Committee

A BILL

for

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

Section 1.

W.S. 22
‑
6
‑
130(b) and by creating a new subsection (c) is amended to read:

22
‑
6
‑
130.

Post
‑
election ballot audit.

(b)

Each county clerk shall conduct an audit of the election using the statistically significant ballot sample size and the corresponding ballots for the contests selected for audit determined under subsection (a) of this section
and shall cause minutes of the audit to be taken
. Each county clerk shall provide the audit results
and the minutes
to the secretary of state not later than one (1) day before the meeting of the state canvassing board as provided in W.S. 22
‑
16
‑
118.

(c)

The county clerk shall notify the county chairman of each political party having a candidate on the ballot and all independent candidates of the time and place of the audit required under this section. Not less than two (2) electors in the county, who shall be representatives of different political parties, shall be present during the audit to observe the audit procedures and the results of the audit. Additional political party representatives and representatives of independent candidates may be present while the audit is conducted. Each person present to observe the audit under this subsection shall take the oath for election officials as provided in W.S. 22
‑
8
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115. If an insufficient number of representatives are available as required under this subsection, the county clerk may appoint one (1) or more representatives of different political parties as necessary to meet the audit observation requirements of this subsection. Representatives observing the audit under this section shall be given the opportunity to register any observed errors or other objections to the audit with the county clerk and the county clerk shall provide those registered statements, and any response to the statements, to the secretary of state at the time the audit results are submitted under subsection (b) of this section.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2026
.

(END)

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HB0085