Pokes Vote

Center for Student Involvement & Leadership

Pokes Vote is a non-partisan cooperative campaign at the University of Wyoming focused on maximizing student civic engagement and leadership development through voter education, registration, and turn-out. Pokes Vote is committed to honesty, fairness, and the relentless effort to get college-aged students engaged in their democratic community by voting.

A red cowboy riding a bucking horse with the words "Pokes Vote" overlaid in blue
Main Page

 

 Important Dates for Wyoming Elections 2026

 (Albany County) Monday, April 20th is the deadline to register for the 1% Specific Purpose Sales and Use Excise Tax Election, which will take place on May 5th.

  • Voters can also register and vote at a polling location on election day. 
  • Between April 20th and May 4th, all new registrants and any changes to current registrations are required to vote the same day at the County Clerk's Office at the Albany County Courthouse.
  • See the Albany County Clerk's website to find your polling place. Your polling location may have changed since the last election. 
  • Learn more about the 1% Specific Purpose Sales and Use Excise Tax (also known as the "6th Penny" sales tax) on the Albany County Website. or, this page from the City of Laramie.

Wednesday, May 13th is the deadline for registered voters to declare or change their party affiliation in order to vote in that party's primary elections on August 18th, 2026. 

  • New voter registrations may still declare a party affiliation when registering after this deadline.
  • Voter registration closes on August 3rd. However, voters may still register in-person and cast an absentee ballot August 4-17.
  • Voters can also register and vote at their polling places on election day. 
  • Absentee and early voting will begin July 21.
  • If you miss voting in a General Election, you may be purged from the voter roll and need to re-enroll. See other FAQs on the Wyoming Secretary of State website. 

Monday, October 19th is the deadline to register to vote in the General Election on November 3rd, 2026. 

  • Voters may still register in-person and cast an absentee ballot October 20-November 2. 
  • Voters can also register and vote at their polling places on election day. 
  • Absentee and early voting voting will begin October 6.
  • If you miss voting in a General Election, you may be purged from the voter roll and need to re-enroll. See other FAQs on the Wyoming Secretary of State website. 

Registering to Vote in Wyoming

There are several ways to register to vote in Wyoming. See the Wyoming Secretary of State's Elections site for details on voter eligibility requirements. 

Looking for information on voting in another state? Jump to the bottom of this page.

  • Register in-person at your local County Clerk's office
  • Register by mail
    • To register by mail, you will need to print and complete the Wyoming Voter Registration Application form. Follow the instructions on the form to fill it out and note that you must sign the oath before an oath-taking officer (i.e. have it notarized). Information for mailing the form is included in the instructions.
  • Register in-person during Early/Absentee in-person voting
    • See the Absentee/Early Voting section for more information.
  • Register in-person at a voter registration event hosted by the local County Clerk's Office
    • County Clerks routinely table at community events to offer voter registration. Stay tuned to learn when the Albany County Clerk will be on campus!
  • Register in-person on election day
  • Wyoming does not allow online registration at this time.

 

 

Absentee Voting in Wyoming

Unlike some other states, you do not need a specific reason to request an absentee ballot in Wyoming. 

Any registered voter in Wyoming may request an absentee ballot for any or all elections ONLY within the calendar year in which the election is held but not on the day of the election. Learn more about what you need in order to request an Absentee Ballot on the Wyoming Secretary of State website. 

You can submit your request in a variety of ways:

Once you have filled out your ballot, it must be received in the county clerk's office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots arriving after the deadline will not be counted. Note that it does not matter when it is postmarked, the deadline means the clerk must actually have the ballot by that time.

Ballots may be returned to the county clerk in the following ways:

  • In Person – Bring your completed absentee ballot in the signed envelope to your county clerk’s office.
    • There is a drop box outside of the Albany County Courthouse.
  • By Mail – Mail your completed absentee ballot in the provided envelope to your county clerk's office. (Mail delivery within the county may take up to seven (7) days, and longer if you’re mailing your ballot from outside the county.)

Early Voting in Wyoming

Early voting is technically known as absentee in-person voting. This just means that you can walk in, request a ballot, and vote before Election Day.

In Albany County, this takes place in the Elections Building, a small annex on the east side of the County Courthouse located at 525 Grand Avenue.

Absentee and early voting will be available July 21st through August 17th for the primary, and October 6th through November 2nd for the general election. As a reminder, if an elector is early voting, they will have to provide an acceptable ID.

Information about other counties in Wyoming can be found on this list of county clerks' contact information.

 

Voting on Election Day in Wyoming

The Primary Election will be August 18th. The General Election will be November 3rd. 

  • You can find your polling place by checking the Wyoming Secretary of State's Voter Information Tool. Even if you have voted in Wyoming before, you should check your polling place as there may have been changes since the last election.
  • You will need to show ID to vote. Find a list of acceptable IDs on Let's Vote Wyo.
  • Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you will be able to vote a provisional ballot. Your ballot will be counted if you are able to provide ID to your election office before the close of business one day after the election.

You may be legally entitled to time off to vote on Election Day per Wyoming law:

Universal Citation: WY Stat § 22-2-111 (1997 through Reg Sess)  

(a) Any person entitled to vote at any primary or general election or special election to fill a vacancy in the office of representatives in the congress of the United States is, on the day of such election, entitled to absent himself from any service or employment in which he is then engaged or employed for a period of one (1) hour, other than meal hours, the hour being at the convenience of the employer, between the time of opening and closing of the polls. Such elector shall not, because of so absenting himself, lose any pay, providing he actually casts his legal vote.

(b) This section shall not apply to an employee who has three (3) or more consecutive nonworking hours during the time the polls are open.

In the event you are turned away from the polls or encounter any other problems voting on Election Day, call the national Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Voting in States Other Than Wyoming

If you are a UW student living in Wyoming and you meet Wyoming's voter eligibility requirements, you have the choice to register and vote here. It does not matter whether you are considered an in-state student for purposes of tuition and this will not affect your financial aid or whether your parents can claim you as a dependent on their taxes. 

However, you may choose to vote absentee in your "home" state. You may only be registered and vote in one location. To find information for your state, click on your state in the Everything You Need to Know About Voting In Your State guide. 

What's on your ballot?

VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it's local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities. Vote 411 provides nonpartisan candidate information to voters in every state.

Research your ballot