Wyoming Committee Won’t Reconsider Party Affiliation Bill

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming legislative committee won't reconsider changing the rules for voters to declare their political party affiliation ahead of primary elections.

The Senate Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee voted 3-2 Thursday not to take up the proposal again after voting 3-2 against it Tuesday.

The bill would have barred voters from affiliating with a political party in the roughly three months before a primary.

Top state GOP officials identified the bill as their top priority for the 2019 legislative session. They say Democrats registering as Republicans are unfairly influencing GOP primaries.

All five members of the all-Republican committee expressed reservations about changing Wyoming's longstanding election rules. Those rules allow voters to change party affiliation at the polls on primary or election day.