Recount laws in Wyoming
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An election recount is a process by which votes cast in an election are re-tabulated to verify the accuracy of the original results. Recounts typically occur in the event of a close margin of victory, following accusations of election fraud, or due to the possibility of administrative errors. Recounts can either occur automatically or be requested by a candidate or voters.
Wyoming law requires automatic recounts under certain circumstances. A candidate or group of voters, regarding a ballot measure, may request a recount. The requester is responsible for costs associated with the recount, although a refund is available if the recount changes the election outcome.
Summary of recount laws
The list below shows answers to common questions regarding recounts in Wyoming.[1]
- Does state law require automatic recounts?
- Yes, when the margin is less than 1% of votes cast for the winning candidate. Automatic recounts for ballot measures occur when the margin is within 1% of votes needed for passage. Automatic recounts for constitutional amendments occur when the margin is less than 1% of total votes cast in the election.
- When must an automatic recount be completed?
- Within 72 hours of a mandate from election officials.
- Can a recount be requested?
- Yes, the recount can be requested within two days of the state or county canvass. The deadline for completion is within 72 hours of the request. No margin is required.
- Who pays for a requested recount?
- The requester.
- Is a refund available for requested recount costs?
- Yes. Costs paid by the requester are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome.
- Can a partial recount be requested?
- No.
Wyoming recount procedures
Automatic recount procedures
Wyoming requires an automatic recount under the following circumstances:
Offices:
| “ | (a) The county canvassing board shall make a recount of precinct votes if it appears to the board that a recount is required due to irregularities in that precinct.
(b) There shall be a recount made of all the votes cast for any office in which the difference in number of votes cast for the winning candidate receiving the least number of votes and the number of votes cast for the losing candidate receiving the greatest number of votes is less than one percent (1%) of the number of votes cast for the winning candidate receiving the least number of votes cast for that office. This recount shall be made in the entire district in which the candidates are standing for election. |
” |
| —Wyo. Stat. § 22-16-109 | ||
Ballot measures:
| “ | A recount will be made if the proposition receives a number of votes, greater or lesser, within one percent (1%) of the number of votes required for passage. The one percent (1%) variance shall be calculated based upon the total number of votes cast on the proposition, except for constitutional amendments in which case the variance shall be calculated based upon the total number of votes cast in the election.[2] | ” |
| —Wyo. Stat. § 22-16-111 | ||
The deadline to complete an automatic recount is no later than 72 hours after the recount is mandated.[3]
Requested recount procedures
Wyoming allows requested recounts under the following circumstances:
Offices:
| “ | (a) A candidate may obtain a recount of votes for the office he is seeking by making and filing an affidavit alleging that fraud or error occurred in counting, returning or canvassing the votes cast in any part of the district in which he is standing for election. The affidavit shall be filed in the same office the candidate filed his application for nomination:
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” |
| —Wyo. Stat. § 22-16-110 | ||
Ballot measures:
| “ | A recount will be made if requested in an affidavit signed by twenty-five (25) electors registered in a district voting on the question. The affidavit shall be filed with the county clerk not later than two (2) days after the county canvass has been completed for propositions voted on in one (1) county, and with the secretary of state not later than two (2) days after the state canvass has been completed for propositions voted on in more than one (1) county.[2] | ” |
| —Wyo. Stat. § 22-16-111 | ||
In both instances, the requester is responsible for costs associated with the recount unless the recount changes the election outcome, in which case the costs are refunded.[4] The deadline to complete a requested recount is no later than 72 hours after the request.[3]
For more information about recount procedures in Wyoming, click here.
Wyoming voting equipment
- See also: Voting methods and equipment by state
Wyoming uses hand-marked paper ballots and ballot-marking devices for its elections.[5]
50-state overview of recount laws
The table below summarizes where state laws allow for automatic and requested recounts. Click "show" to view the table.
As of September 2025, state law in 48 states included a recount provision, automatic recounts are possible in 28 states, and requested recounts are possible in 43 states.
The map and table below outline the type of recount laws in each state.
50-state overview of requested recounts
The table below summarizes how requested recounts are paid for and whether it is possible for candidates to request a partial recount. Click "show" to view the table.
As of September 2025, the requester of a recount pays for the recount in 23 states, the state pays in seven states, in 11 states it depends on the circumstances of the election or the recount, and in two states it is unclear which party pays for the recount. In 27 states a refund may be available for a requested recount, in four states a refund depends on the circumstances of the recount, and in five states no refund is available. The remaining 14 states have state-funded requested recounts or do not have requested recounts. In 27 states a partial recount may be requested.
| State[8] | Who pays for a requested recount? | Refund available? | Can candidates request a partial recount? | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Requester | Yes | Yes | 16-20,21 |
| Alaska | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 20.430-490 |
| Arizona | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 16-661,249 |
| Arkansas | Requester | Yes | No | 7-5-319 |
| California | Requester | Yes | Yes | 15620-15634 |
| Colorado | Requester | Yes | No | 10.5-101-109 |
| Connecticut | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 9-445,6-311a |
| Delaware | State | N/A | Yes | 5702(C,E) |
| District of Columbia | Requester | Yes | Yes | 1-1001.11(a) |
| Florida | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 102.141,166 |
| Georgia | State | N/A | Yes | 21-2-495,499 |
| Hawaii | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 11-158 |
| Idaho | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 34-2301-2309 |
| Illinois | Requester | Maybe[9] | Yes | 5/22-9.1, 18 |
| Indiana | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3-12-11-1-10 |
| Iowa | State | N/A | No | 43.56 & 50.48 |
| Kansas | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 25-3107 |
| Kentucky | Requester | No | Yes | 120.017,095,185,250,280 |
| Louisiana | Requester | Yes | Yes | 18-1451 & 1453 |
| Maine | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | No | 737-A |
| Maryland | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 12-101-107 |
| Massachusetts | State | N/A | Yes | 54:135,A,B |
| Michigan | Requester | Yes | Yes | 168.879-894 |
| Minnesota | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 204C.35-361 |
| Mississippi | No requested recounts | N/A | No | N/A |
| Missouri | Requester | Maybe[10] | No | 115.601 |
| Montana | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Maybe[11] | No | 13-16-201-11 |
| Nebraska | Requester | Yes | Yes | 32-1119,1121 |
| Nevada | Requester | Yes | No | 293.403-405 |
| New Hampshire | State/Requester Depends on election type[12] |
Varies[13] | No | 660:1-16 |
| New Jersey | Requester | Yes | Yes | 19:28-1,2,3 |
| New Mexico | Requester | Yes | Yes | 1-14-14 to 25 |
| New York | Unclear[14] | No | No | 9-208 |
| North Carolina | State | N/A | No | 163-182.7,182.7A |
| North Dakota | Requester | No | No | 16.1-16-01 |
| Ohio | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3515.01-072 |
| Oklahoma | Requester | Yes | Yes | 26-8-109 to 117 |
| Oregon | Requester | Yes | Yes | 258.006-300 |
| Pennsylvania | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3154g,3261-3 |
| Rhode Island | Unclear[15] | No | No | 17-19-37.1 |
| South Carolina | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 7-17-280 |
| South Dakota | State | N/A | Yes | 12-21-1 to 37 |
| Tennessee | No requested recounts | N/A | No | 2-17,18 |
| Texas | Requester | Yes | Yes | 211 to 216 |
| Utah | State/Requester Depends on requester[16] |
No | No | 20A-4-401 |
| Vermont | State | N/A | No | 17-51-2601,2602 |
| Virginia | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | No | 8-24.2-800 to 802.3 |
| Washington | Requester | Yes | Yes | 29A.64 |
| West Virginia | Requester | Yes | Yes | 3-6-9 |
| Wisconsin | State/Requester Depends on margin |
Yes | Yes | 9.01 & 5.90 |
| Wyoming | Requester | Yes | No | 22-16-109 to 114 |
State legislation
The table below lists bills related to recounts introduced during (or carried over to) Wyoming's regular legislative session this year. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
See also
- Election recount laws and procedures in the 50 states
- Voting in Wyoming
- Wyoming
- Voting methods and equipment by state
Footnotes
- ↑ Justia, "§ 22-16-109 to 114," accessed September 25, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Justia, "§ 22-16-112. Precincts to be recounted; recount official result," accessed September 25, 2025
- ↑ Justia, "§ 22-16-113. Recount deposit; expense of recount," accessed September 25, 2025
- ↑ Verified Voting, "The Verifier - Election Day Equipment - November 2026," accessed September 25, 2025
- ↑ Verified Voting, "Arizona Recount Laws," accessed September 25, 2025
- ↑ A court may order a recount under Arizona law.
- ↑ This category encompasses instances where the state government pays for recounts and those states where counties pay.
- ↑ A recount alone cannot change the election results, but can be used to contest the election. At the end of that process, the court may choose not to levy costs against the prevailing party.
- ↑ Recounts occur as part of a contested election. A requester may be required to cover costs before the start of such an event. The court may choose to require the unsuccessful party in a contested election to cover the costs, which could involve a refund to the requester if he or she is the successful party.
- ↑ In the case of a court-ordered recount, candidates must pay, but will be refunded if the outcome changes. Regarding non-court-ordered recounts, state law does not mention whether the candidate is refunded in such a case.
- ↑ The state covers requested recounts of statewide constitutional amendments. The requester covers all other recounts.
- ↑ For local and county ballot measure elections, state law does not mention the possibility of a refund. For all other recounts, costs paid by the requester are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome.
- ↑ No mention in state law.
- ↑ No mention in state law.
- ↑ The state pays for candidate-requested recounts. The requester pays for voter-requested recounts of ballot measures.
