How Chuck Gray Plans To Change Voting Laws In Wyoming

If Wyoming politics had trading cards, Secretary of State Chuck Gray would be the one with “Election Integrity Crusader” printed in bold foil across the top. Gray has unveiled his top five legislative priorities ahead of the 2026 Wyoming Legislative Session and at the top of that list is a proposal to require pen-and-paper ballots as Wyoming’s default voting method. While the state already relies heavily on paper ballots, Gray wants to formalize and expand that approach, arguing it offers greater security and voter confidence.

He’s also calling for stricter chain-of-custody rules, including a ban on ballot drop boxes and ballot harvesting. In Gray’s view, tightening control over how ballots move from voters to election officials is essential to preventing abuse—even though Wyoming has seen few, if any, documented problems in this area.

Another priority is strengthening voter ID laws. Gray wants to remove Medicare, Medicaid, and student IDs from the list of acceptable identification for voting, a move critics say could make voting more difficult for certain groups, while supporters argue it brings clarity and uniformity to the process.

Gray is also pushing for hand-count verification of voting machines during recounts and audits, adding another layer of oversight to the system. Finally, he is proposing a constitutional amendment to ban dual citizens from voting or holding office in Wyoming, a measure that would raise significant legal and constitutional questions if pursued.

In announcing the priorities, Gray framed them as practical and necessary reforms, saying he looks forward to working with lawmakers during the 2026 session to ensure Wyoming elections remain secure.

Whether the legislature will share his sense of urgency is an open question. Lawmakers have historically been cautious about sweeping changes to election law, especially in a state that already prides itself on low turnout issues and relatively high public trust in elections.

This is the same Chuck Gray who is currently running for Wyoming’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, and who has spent the better part of his statewide career locked in a long-running, very public feud with Republican Governor Mark Gordon. As Gray campaigns for Congress and continues to distinguish himself from Governor Gordon and other Republican leaders, these proposals reinforce the brand he’s carefully cultivated: a hardline conservative willing to challenge both institutions and members of his own party.

As lawmakers prepare for the 2026 session, Gray’s proposals will test how much appetite there is for further changes to Wyoming’s election system—and how those debates shape the state’s political direction moving forward.