Governor Mead OK with Wyoming’s Referendum Process

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Gov. Matt Mead says he believes Wyoming's standards for citizen initiated laws and referendums are appropriate.

Public policy advocates say Wyoming's initiative and referendum process is among the most restrictive in the nation, meaning residents have little chance of reaching the statewide ballot with their cause.

The Wyoming Constitution Party recently failed to collect enough signatures to repeal a new law that redefines the state superintendent of public instruction's powers and duties.

The referendum sponsors had less than 90 days to collect more than 37,000 valid signatures. Besides the tight timeline to collect a lot of signatures, Wyoming's process also forces sponsors to collect signatures from most of the state's 23 counties.

Mead acknowledges the standards are tough but he says some states make it too easy.