Wyoming Republican Party Ends Legal Dispute Over Laramie County Election Procedures
After nearly a year of litigation, the Wyoming Republican Party and the Laramie County Clerk’s Office have reached a settlement and dismissed a lawsuit that challenged the testing procedures of election equipment used during the August 2024 primary.
The case officially ended on May 23.
The lawsuit, filed against Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee, alleged that her office failed to comply with Wyoming election law regarding the testing of voting machines. The Wyoming Republican Party raised concerns that the machines were not properly verified ahead of the primary election.
In a statement released Sunday, the Laramie County Clerk’s Office expressed relief at the conclusion of the case, describing the legal battle as a costly and time-consuming process. According to the clerk’s office, the litigation consumed over $50,000 in taxpayer funds and required hundreds of staff hours.
The county maintains that throughout the legal proceedings, it made multiple efforts to demonstrate the reliability of the election equipment. Clerk Debra Lee’s office said the voting machines were publicly retested four times without any tabulation errors, showing the equipment was accurately counting votes and properly programmed.
Attorney Tim Stubson, representing the clerk’s office, criticized the lawsuit as a political move.
“This was a case of one political party choosing to weaponize the law against a county clerk,” he stated.
Stubson also argued that the voting machines used in Laramie County may have undergone more testing than any others in the state—and possibly the nation.
In response, the Wyoming Republican Party defended its actions. Treasurer Dallas Tyrrell issued a statement reiterating the party’s concerns over what it characterized as noncompliance with state election laws and a violation of a court-ordered consent decree.
“We may never get a straight answer as to why the Laramie County Clerk chose to ignore Wyoming election law,” Tyrrell said. “But let there be no doubt: the Wyoming Republican Party will continue to stand firm and take action to defend the integrity of our elections.”
West Virginia News and Wyoming Tribune Eagle contributed to this report.
