General Election: Statewide and local races dominate as voters go to the polls

Voters across the United States will be heading to the polls Tuesday, if they haven’t already voted by mail, to participate in the 2026 General Election.

While 2026 is an off year for a presidential election and all county offices were decided in the Primary Election, there are several contested races of importance in Big Horn County including legislative, municipal and school board races, plus contested races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Governor, Secretary of State and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Also to be decided is the fate of Proposition One, which would cut property taxes by 50 percent but also slash revenues for local services by $92 million to $95 million annually, according to the Wyoming Department of Revenue.

The polls will be open Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at (insert local polling places here).

Statewide races

There are two contested races for federal office in Wyoming. In the race to replace retiring Cynthia Lummis in the U.S. Senate, U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman won the Republican nomination in August and will face former Laramie County State Senator James Byrd, the Democratic nominee, in the General.

Hoping to replace Hageman in the U.S. House are Secretary of State Chuck Gray, the Republican nominee, Democratic nominee Lisa Kinney of Laramie, Libertarian Shawn Johnson of Thermopolis and Constitution Party nominee Jeffrey Haggit of Mountain View.

Three are vying to replace Mark Gordon in the Governor’s mansion: GOP nominee and Campbell County state senator Eric Barlow, Democratic nominee Ken Casner of Elk Mountain and Constitution Party candidate Rebecca Bextel of Jackson.

Hoping to replace Gray as Secretary of State are Republican nominee Robert Short of Douglas, Democratic nominee Bryan McCarty of Worland and Constitution Party pick Tamara Trujillo of Cheyenne.

Republican State Senator from Casper Steve Harshman and Democratic nominee Ana Cordova of Cheyenne are on the ballot for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

State Auditor Kristi Racines and State Treasurer Curt Meier, both Republicans, are unopposed for their respective office.

Wyoming Legislature

GOP nominee R. J. Kost is unopposed on Tuesday after winning the Republican nomination for Wyoming Senate District 19, but there are multiple contested House races. Incumbent State Rep. Dalton Banks of Cowley, the Republican nominee for House District 26, has a challenger in the form of Democrat Ralph Nieder-Westermann of Greybull, who accepted a write-in nomination.

Incumbent Rep. Martha Lawley of Worland, the GOP nominee for House District 27, is being challenged by Democratic nominee Theresa Livingston, also of Worland. And there are two candidates to replace the retiring Rep. John Winter for House District 28: Republican Allen Hogg of Meeteetse and Democrat Larry Alwin of Thermopolis.

County offices

All races for Big Horn County offices were settled with an all-Republican slate of candidates in the Primary. Unopposed on Tuesday’s ballot will be county commission nominees Jared Boardman of Frannie and Mike Laird of Greybull, coroner Mike Jameson, attorney Macia Bean, sheriff nominee Craig Shidler, clerk Lori Smallwood, treasurer Nicole Vigil, assessor Cozette Winters and clerk of district court Serena Lipp.

Local races

In Basin voters have two candidates for Mayor. Those are Carl Olson and Charles Hopkin. There are two Basin Town Council seats available. There are four candidates on the ballot for the two open seats. Stuart DesRosier, Jennifer Riley, Michael Tanner and Steve VanderPloeg. VanderPloeg withdrew his name from consideration after the deadline. Leaving voters with three choices for the two seats. 

The town of Manderson has one candidate for Mayor. That is Bill Duncan. There are two seats for a four-year term for town council.  The four candidates for the two seats are Howard Applegarth, Tim Patrick, Christopher Saunders and Thea Saunders. One seat is available for a two-year term on the council. Voters will choose between Aleta Driver and Jack Nielsen 

Gary Brunko is the sole candidate for Burlington Mayor.  There are two seats available for the town council four-year term. Candidates are Jackie Cenker, Michale Harrington, Melissa Leonhardt and Matt Walker. Burlington also has one seat open for the two-year council opening. Candidates for that seat are Jesse Hamilton and Neal Wood. 

Big Horn County School District Four School Board has four open seats. Running for the two At Large seats are Pricie Butcher, Enrika Rain Joy Potter and Merrita Powell. Gregory Gloy is running unopposed for Area J.  Brenda Wood is running unopposed for Area K/L. 

In Big Horn County School District No. 1, there are two contested school board races. Hunter Allen of Byron, Hiedi Christensen of Cowley and Holly Michaels of Burlington are vying for two at-large seats on the board, and Thomas Bridges and Emily Leonhardt are on the ballot for one designated Cowley seat on the board. Craig Jones in unopposed for the designated Burlington seat on the school board.