Wyomingites head to the polls today. Here’s what to know.

Wyoming voters will head to the polls today to elect the state’s next governor and decide whether to dramatically reduce residential property taxes at the expense of local revenue. They’ll also cast ballots for a bevy of statewide and local races, from secretary of state to sheriff.

While Republican dominance in the Equality State means that many key races are effectively decided during the August primary, there are still several contests with important consequences in today’s general election. (And if you need more information before heading to the polls, check out our election guide.)

WyoFile reporters and editors will be working throughout the day and late into the night, keeping you updated on the latest developments. Here’s what we’ll be watching.

Will voters cut their property taxes?

In the years following the pandemic, property values in Wyoming jumped — and likewise, so did the property taxes that people paid. That increase was not uniform. Teton County, for example, experienced a 111% spike, while Sweetwater County saw a more modest 19.5% increase. Lawmakers responded with a series of relief measures, including one last year that created a 25% exemption on the first $1 million of a primary residence’s fair market value. 

But some believe those measures didn’t go far enough. They’re supporting Proposition 1, a ballot measure that would exempt 50% of a primary residence’s assessed value. There would be no cap on the value of the home: A fixed-income retiree in a one-bedroom bungalow in Casper and a wealthy Jacksonite in a multi-million-dollar mansion would both benefit.

Advocates say Proposition 1 will help homeowners who can’t keep up with rising property tax bills. They also say that local governments would do just fine with less revenue generated by property taxes. But critics — including Gov. Mark Gordon and a host of local officials — say a 50% reduction “would have an immediate and devastating effect on the services most Wyoming citizens rely upon in their communities,” as the governor put it in a recent editorial.

There’s been no public polling on the measure, so we really have no idea which argument voters will find most compelling. It is worth noting that opposition to the ballot measure has been well organized and well funded.

Which Republican will become Wyoming’s next governor?

Technically, there is only one Republican in this race: Sen. Eric Barlow won the GOP nomination in August, fending off two high-profile challengers. But members of Wyoming’s far right have questioned whether Barlow is conservative enough in ruby red Wyoming.

Enter Rebecca Bextel. A conservative activist from Teton County, she was perhaps best known at the start of the year for advocating against affordable housing mitigation fees and for her unsuccessful bid to serve as leader of the Wyoming Republican Party. Then in February she became the face of the Checkgate controversy after a Democratic lawmaker photographed her handing out checks to Freedom Caucus lawmakers on the House floor. The check passing dominated the session, resulting in two investigations and rule changes. Lawmakers determined the checks did not constitute bribery, but voted unanimously to adopt a report that admonished Bextel’s conduct. 

Undaunted, Bextel in May announced she would run for governor as the Constitution Party’s nominee, but only as an insurance policy should Barlow triumph in the primary. When he did, she launched her bid, campaigning as the true conservative in the race. Suddenly, Republicans had to choose between Barlow, their actual nominee, or Bextel, who argued she better represented their views. Many notable Republican figures, including Gordon and Wyoming’s congressional delegation, lined up behind Barlow. Others, like former GOP Chair Frank Eathorne, backed Bextel.

History favors Barlow. No third-party candidate has ever won a statewide race in Wyoming. 

If Bextel performs well, will the Constitution Party break through?

In Wyoming, a minor political party can gain major-party status if one of its candidates for governor, secretary of state or U.S. House earns at least 10% of the total votes in a general election. So whether Bextel upsets Barlow or not, she could still give the Constitution Party a victory if she crosses that threshold.

There is some recent precedent for minor-party success. The Constitution and Libertarian parties earned major-party status after their candidates reached the necessary threshold in the 2014 secretary of state’s race. But those successes were only temporary. Both parties lost their major-party status after a single election cycle.

Yes, there are legislative races that matter.

Most of Wyoming’s legislative races are decided in the primary. That’s because Democrats are not competitive in many parts of the state, meaning the only race that effectively matters is between hard-line and more traditional Republicans in the primary. That reality means we knew before a single general election ballot was cast that the statehouse will be dramatically different next year after most Freedom Caucus candidates lost their seats in August.

Still, we’re watching a handful of key races today. Fremont County’s House District 33 is one of the state’s few swing districts, and this year features a race between incumbent Rep. Ivan Posey, a Democrat and Eastern Shoshone educator, and Republican challenger Justin Morgan, a veteran who owns a horse training business.

Farther to the south in Albany County’s House District 14, incumbent Democrat Rep. Trey Sherwood faces Republican challenger Emily Study. While Laramie is one of Wyoming’s few blue bubbles, the rural district north of town was represented by Republicans prior to Sherwood’s victory in 2020.

For more on the legislative races we’re following, click here.

What’s turnout going to be like? 

Unlike many parts of the country, Wyoming’s congressional races have drawn little attention. Democrats face long odds against Harriet Hageman and Chuck Gray, respectively the Republican U.S. Senate and House nominees. 

So what does that mean for turnout? There are early signs that the lack of a high-profile congressional race won’t deter voters from heading to the polls. Early and absentee voting are ahead of 2018 and 2022 — the last midterm elections — according to the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office. More than 65,000 Wyomingites had already cast ballots as of Thursday.

Voters in Cheyenne may see U.S. Department of Justice observers outside polling places. Two DOJ election monitors, who appeared at a Cheyenne polling place on primary election day, caught the governor and others off guard. Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee expects the general election to go differently.

“Unlike their visit during the Primary Election, however, monitors won’t be allowed inside polling places and must remain 100 yards from the polls, in accordance with state law and a recent Wyoming Attorney General’s opinion,” Lee said in a press release last week. 

Where can I get the election results? 

Fear not, dear reader. WyoFile has you covered. As in past elections, we’ll have up-to-the-minute results throughout the evening. Look for a link to our results page to pop up at the top of WyoFile.com shortly after 7 p.m.