Federal Judge Permits Trump-Era DOJ, States to Support Wyoming Voter ID Law in Court

A federal judge has allowed the US Department of Justice, 25 states, and Guam to weigh in on a legal challenge to Wyoming’s new voter registration law, which requires proof of US citizenship and 30 days of state residency to register to vote, Casper Star-Tribune reports.

US District Judge Stephanie Hambrick granted motions last week permitting these parties to file amicus curiae briefs in Equality State Policy Center v. Chuck Gray, a case contesting the constitutionality of Wyoming’s House Bill 156.

The law, which took effect July 1, is being challenged by the Equality State Policy Center. The advocacy group argues the measure could disenfranchise eligible voters, particularly those without immediate access to documentation, and claims there is little to no evidence of voter fraud in Wyoming to justify such a law.

In contrast, the coalition of states — including Arizona, Montana, Kansas, and others that have enacted or supported similar voter ID laws — argue the legislation is a reasonable and lawful safeguard. In their brief, the states called the lawsuit’s framing “a crisis of democracy” an overstatement, defending the law as comparable to identification requirements already common in everyday life, such as obtaining a driver’s license or boarding a plane.

“Plaintiff now asks the court to nullify a policy determination that Wyoming’s elected representatives developed in a deliberative, democratic process — in other words, to thwart democracy in the name of democracy,” the states and Guam wrote.

The US Department of Justice, which under the Trump administration has supported stricter voting rules, also filed a brief backing the law. DOJ attorneys argued that requiring proof of citizenship serves a valid state interest in preventing voter fraud and maintaining public trust in elections.

“When Wyoming voters cast their ballots, they should be confident that their vote is given its due weight, undiluted by fraudulent votes of ineligible voters,” DOJ lawyers stated.