Wyoming Supreme Court upholds crossover-voting ban

The Wyoming Supreme Court has issued a unanimous ruling upholding the state’s ban on crossover voting. The court determined that the 96-day period during which voters are prohibited from changing their party affiliation does not violate constitutional rights or equal protection guarantees.

The ruling balances the right to vote against the legislature’s mandate to ‘secure the purity of elections’ and ‘guard against abuses of the elective franchise.’ The decision maintains a law adopted by the Wyoming Legislature in 2023, which requires voters to affiliate with a party before the candidate-filing period concludes.

Supporters of the ban argue it prevents voters from unaffiliated or minor parties from switching to the Republican party specifically to influence primary elections. While plaintiffs’ attorney Bill Schwartz expressed disappointment, stating the court did not give fundamental voting rights enough weight, Secretary of State Chuck Gray described the ruling as a ‘huge win’ for defending Wyoming elections.