Secretary of state candidates share common views, have different tacks

Jun. 25—CHEYENNE — The four Republican candidates for Wyoming secretary of state discussed their platforms Thursday evening at the Laramie County Republican Party's Politics in the Park forum.

Candidates shared similar viewpoints on the importance of three key issues — election integrity, business licensing and state land investment — but differed on how they think the issues should be handled.

Election integrity

All candidates listed election integrity and security as their top concern, and suggested ways Wyoming can keep its elections secure and accessible. They have recently said similar to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, said he wants to ban all ballot drop boxes across the state, get rid of electronic voting systems and protect the voter identification law he sponsored in 2021. Gray has been a state representative for six years, and said he has shown his commitment to election security through his work in the Legislature.

Tara Nethercott, a Cheyenne state senator and attorney, said Wyoming's elections are already some of the safest in the country, and she wants to keep it that way. She said she will protect the "one man, one vote" principle and review each county's election process to ensure they are secure.

Dan Dockstader, state Senate president, said he wants to prohibit crossover voting. This is when voters in primary elections cast a ballot for the political party they are not usually connected to.

Petroleum engineer and business owner Mark Armstrong said there should be concern about Wyoming's election integrity.

"I want to make it easy to vote, but I want to make sure that you have a reason that you need an absentee ballot," Armstrong said.

Gray agreed ballots should not be opened before Election Day and said he opposes an automatic system of sending out ballots.

Dockstader said he would encourage the Legislature to make a strong system of secure audits for absentee ballots, especially to check that absentee voters are who they say they are.

"The secretary of state does not unilaterally make those decisions for the people of Wyoming, the people of Wyoming speak through the Legislature," Nethercott noted.

Business filings

The candidates agreed the Secretary of State's Office needs a better digital process for listing business records and needs to let businesses, especially limited liability corporations, complete filings online.

Nethercott said the office should put out a request for proposals to examine different online technologies and find the best one. She also recommended paying attention to all types of businesses and to talk to them about why they might not be filing here.

"You have to look at what business wants across the country," Nethercott said. "That's why Wyoming provides the entire plate of goods and services to business needs."

Dockstader said employees in the Secretary of State's Office do good work to ensure people looking to file for a business have all the information they need, they just need to be better set up for success.

Gray and Armstrong said business licensing fees should be lowered. Nethercott said they are some of the lowest in the country.

"We need to have an LLC filing system that is as easy as possible," Gray said. "I don't believe that we should be trying to search for endless new income."

Armstrong said he doesn't want overseas companies filing here because state residents should be getting jobs and benefiting from the companies.

State Loan and Investment Board

The secretary of state also serves on the State Loan and Investment Board, which manages land funds and administers grants and loans to municipalities and counties. Candidates took different stances on what they think the top priority should be for SLIB.

Armstrong said lands need to stay with the state. He does not want Wyoming to have any more federal land.

Nethercott said the office should focus on balancing interests and avoid "immediate gratification" to benefit schools and future generations of Wyomingites.

"Recognizing how we utilize those state lands requires a careful balancing of interests for all of those who choose to utilize (the land)," Nethercott said.

Dockstader said his priority with SLIB is the way it opens up rural infrastructure opportunities, like water and sewer.

"Some of these small communities will never be able to help themselves at that point, and that's where SLIB and the state steps in and helps develop Wyoming as it should be," Dockstader said.

Gray said SLIB needs to take a Wyoming-first viewpoint when leasing state land. He said he advocated for transparency as a state legislator, and would do that as a member of the board.

Wyoming primaries are Aug. 16. Wyoming residents can register to vote in person or by mail. Voter registration instructions are available on the secretary of state's website.

Serena Bettis is a senior journalism major at Colorado State University who is interning this summer at the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. She can be reached by email at sbettis@wyomingnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @serenaroseb.