How to run for elected office in Park County

What are the qualifications to run for office?

For most political offices, candidates are only required to be a registered voter and a resident of the jurisdiction they’re seeking to serve (i.e. a school board candidate must live in the school district).

Some offices carry additional qualifications. For example, to serve as county assessor, you must not only live in that county, but also own property there.

Additionally, candidates for the Wyoming Legislature, mayor or council must have lived in that district, city or ward for least 12 months prior to the General Election.

Candidates for county attorney must be a member of the Wyoming State Bar.

While all candidates must be at least 18 years old, you must be 25 to serve in the state Senate and 21 to serve in the House. Governors must be at least 30, and to hold any of the other statewide offices (secretary of state, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction or auditor) you must be at least 25.

What offices are available in 2024?

Offices up for election in 2024 are listed here with the specific candidates whose terms end in 2024 highlighted here.

When do I file for office?

Republican and Democratic candidates for partisan offices, along with candidates for municipal races, file May 16-31, 2024.  The filings included Republican and Democratic candidates for precinct committee positions. They will appear on the Aug. 20 Primary Election ballot. The precinct committee races are settled in the primary, while the top vote-getters in the other races advance to the Nov. 5 General Election.

Candidates for nonpartisan school, college, cemetery, hospital, fire and museum district boards file from Aug. 7-26, 2024, as those races only appear on the General Election ballot.

The Wyoming Libertarian and Constitution parties have until Aug. 19 to certify their candidates, while independent candidates have until Aug. 26 to gather voter signatures and submit a petition for nomination.

Candidates are free to run a write-in campaign at any point in the election cycle.

Where do I file for office?

Candidates for state and federal offices file with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office.

Candidates for municipal offices file at their city or town hall.

Candidates for county offices and special districts file with the Park County Elections Office. Filings can be made in person at the courthouse (1002 Sheridan Ave. in Cody), by mail or email.

What do I need to do to file?

Running for office involves filling out some paperwork and, in some cases, paying a filing fee. It’s $750 to run for Congress, $300 to run for a statewide office, $100 for the Wyoming Legislature or county offices and $25 for municipal positions. There is no filing fee for special district or precinct committee seats.

Additional information for candidates, including about mandatory campaign finance reports, can be found on the Wyoming Secretary of State’s website.

Campaign finance reporting

The Wyoming Secretary of State’s 2024 Campaign Guide is the most comprehensive resource for campaign finance reporting.

State and county parties, political action committees involved in state races and candidates for state offices, such as the Wyoming Legislature, must file campaign finance reports with the Secretary of State’s Office at www.wycampaignfinance.gov.

All candidates for county, municipal, school board and college board positions — along with campaign committees and any local PACs — are required to file their reports with the Park County Elections Office, even if it’s only to report they spent no money. Those reports can be filed at the office in Cody, by mail or by email.

Statements of contributions and expenditures for the Primary Election are due Aug. 13. They are now available online. Any donations received or funds spent after the pre-primary reports were filed must be documented in an amended report, due by Aug. 30. Campaign finance reports for the General Election must be turned in between Oct. 22 – 29, with amendments due by Nov. 15.

Candidates for special district positions — such as fire, hospital, museum and cemetery boards — are not required to file campaign finance reports.