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Wyoming Supreme Court elections
There are five justices on the Wyoming Supreme Court. For more information about these elections, visit the Wyoming judicial elections page.
Judicial selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Wyoming
The five justices of the Wyoming Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. When a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of three names provided by a nominating commission. There are seven members on the commission. Three members must be lawyers appointed by the state bar and three must be non-lawyers appointed by the governor. The chief justice of the supreme court serves as chairman and only votes in the event of a tie. The governor must appoint a person from the commission's list.[1][2]
Newly appointed judges serve for at least one year, after which they must stand for retention in the next general election. If retained, a judge will finish the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term. Subsequent terms last eight years.[3][4]
Qualifications
To serve on the supreme court, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident for at least three years;
- at least nine years legal experience;
- no younger than 30 years old; and
- no older than 70.*[3]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote, serving in that capacity for four years.[1]
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of three names provided by a nominating commission. After the appointed justice has served at least one year, they must stand for retention in the next general election. If retained, a judge will finish the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term. Subsequent terms last eight years.[1]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
Elections
2024
- See also: Wyoming Supreme Court elections, 2024
John G. Fenn's seat
General election
General election for Wyoming Supreme Court
Incumbent John G. Fenn won election in the general election for Wyoming Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John G. Fenn (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 175,991 |
| Total votes: 175,991 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Kate M. Fox's seat
General election
General election for Wyoming Supreme Court
Incumbent Kate M. Fox won election in the general election for Wyoming Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kate M. Fox (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 177,803 |
| Total votes: 177,803 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2020
- See also: Wyoming Supreme Court elections, 2020
Candidates and results
Boomgaarden's seat
Wyoming Supreme Court
Lynne Boomgaarden was retained to the Wyoming Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 80.9% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
80.9
|
192,461 | ||
No |
19.1
|
45,562 | |||
Total Votes |
238,023 | ||||
|
|
Gray's seat
Wyoming Supreme Court
Kari Jo Gray was retained to the Wyoming Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 80.2% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
80.2
|
189,835 | ||
No |
19.8
|
46,732 | |||
Total Votes |
236,567 | ||||
|
|
2016
- See also: Wyoming Supreme Court elections, 2016
Justices who faced retention
■ Kate M. Fox 
■ William U. Hill
■ Keith G. Kautz
Election results
November 8 general election
Kate M. Fox was retained in the Wyoming Supreme Court. She won election with 76.32% of the vote.
| Wyoming Supreme Court, Fox's Seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Kate M. Fox | 76.32% | |
| Source: Wyoming Secretary of State Official Results | ||
William U. Hill (Wyoming) was retained in the Wyoming Supreme Court. He won election with 76.24% of the vote.
| Wyoming Supreme Court, Hill's Seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| William U. Hill (Wyoming) | 76.24% | |
| Source: Wyoming Secretary of State Official Results | ||
Keith G. Kautz was retained in the Wyoming Supreme Court. He won election with 76.56% of the vote.
| Wyoming Supreme Court, Kautz's Seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Keith G. Kautz | 76.56% | |
| Source: Wyoming Secretary of State Official Results | ||
2014
Retention
| Judge | Election Vote |
|---|---|
| Michael K. Davis (Wyoming) | 77.5%  |
| James Burke | 77.3% |
2010
- See also: 2010 State Supreme Court elections
Incumbent Barton Voigt faced retention and was retained.
| Wyoming Supreme Court 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Barton Voigt | n/a | 76.45% | ||
Incumbent Marilyn Kite faced retention and was retained.
| Wyoming Supreme Court 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Marilyn Kite | n/a | 75.35% | ||
2008
- See also: State Supreme Court elections, 2008
Incumbent William U. Hill faced retention and was retained.
| Wyoming Supreme Court 2008 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| William U. Hill | n/a | n/a | ||
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wyoming Judicial Branch, About the Supreme Court, accessed April 17, 2025
- ↑ Wyoming Judicial Branch, "Judicial Nominating Commission," accessed April 17, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wyoming," accessed August 11, 2021
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wyoming," archived January 13, 2012
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Wyoming • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Wyoming
State courts:
Wyoming Supreme Court • Wyoming District Courts • Wyoming Circuit Courts • Wyoming Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Wyoming • Wyoming judicial elections • Judicial selection in Wyoming
