crossover voting

The bill forces voters who want to affiliate with one of the major parties to register as Republicans or Democrats before the first day for candidates to file to run for office in May.

The bill had passed the House recently on a 51-9 vote, But it was defeated in the Senate Elections, Corporations and Political Subdivisions Committee by a 3-1 margin.

Supporters of banning crossover voting, mostly Republicans, have said that the current law allowing people to change their party affiliation right through primary election day allows Democrats to interfere in GOP primaries.

Opponents of crossover voting in Wyoming primary elections have been trying for years to get the practice banned, so far without final success.

Not all are Democrat crossovers.

Some Republican lawmakers have been trying for several years to get such legislation passed in Wyoming.

Opponents argue that such legislation interferes with voters' rights to cast a ballot for the candidate of their choice, and say the rights of voters should take precedence over those of political parties.

A crossover voting bill passed the state House last season before being defeated in the Senate.

Even friends in high places couldn't save House Bill 220, a corporate income tax bill that would have targeted large, out of state companies like Walmart.

The state Republican Party had called the passage of a crossover voting bill it's top priority for the session