Bill To Allow Removal Of City Elected Officials Filed In Wyoming

A bill that would allow for voters to remove an elected city official has been filed in the Wyoming Legislature.

Current state law only allows for the removal of elected officials under a "city commission" form of government. That form of city government is not in place in any city or town in the state. You can read House Bill 74 here.

The bill would allow for a recall election if at least 25 percent of the voters in towns of 4,000 people or more sign a petition. If the city clerk in the community certifies that it has met that threshold, the petition would be submitted to the governing body (city or town council).

The council would then call for an election within 30-40 days on whether the official should be removed. If the voters approve removing the official, a special election would then be called to fill the open seat. Candidates other than the person removed could apply to run for the open seat.

If the candidate who was voted out decides to run for the office, a primary election of candidates other than the person removed would be held, and the top vote-getter in that primary would then face the former officeholder in an election.

If the removed officeholder is not a candidate, then the two top vote-getters in the primary would face off in an election.

The bill is sponsored by Representative(s) Bear, Fortner, Gray, Jennings, Laursen and Neiman and Senator(s) McKeown and Steinmetz.