Ballot Access News – Wyoming House Passes Bill Making Ballot Access Much More Difficult

On January 29, the Wyoming House passed HB 173 on second reading. It makes ballot access much worse for independent candidates. Currently they need a petition of 2% of the last U.S. House vote, which in 2026 would be 3,879 signatures. The bill would increase that to 9,697 signatures. Already Wyoming has the nation’s highest percentage for petitions for presidential candidates, if the easier method in each state is used. Wyoming has the nation’s smallest population.
The bill also moves the petition deadline for independent candidates to 81 days before the primary. The 2026 primary is August 18, so that would mean a deadline of May 29, 2026. Existing law says the independent petition is due 70…

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