Wyoming Supreme Court upholds crossover‑voting ban, confirming 96‑day freeze period

The Wyoming Supreme Court upheld the state’s crossover‑voting ban Thursday, ruling that the 96‑day period in which voters are prohibited from changing party affiliation ahead of Election Day does not violate their constitutional rights.

The decision clears the way for November’s general election to proceed as it has since 2023, when the Wyoming Legislature adopted a law that prohibits what’s known as crossover voting. The deadline lines up with the candidate‑filing period, requiring voters to affiliate with a party before the slate of candidates has been finalized.

Secretary of State Chuck Gray praised the ruling as a “huge win for Wyoming elections,” and attorney Bill Schwartz said the court’s decision confirms the legislature’s authority to regulate elections. The lawsuit, filed in 2024, sought to overturn the state’s “sore loser law” and challenge closed primaries, and after a Laramie County District Court ruling the plaintiffs appealed to the Wyoming Supreme Court.

Read the full story at Wyoming Public Media.