GOSHEN COUNTY – Early voting is underway in Goshen County. Voting is the most direct opportunity that many people have to sway policy decisions and to hold elected officials accountable. 

Wyoming has historically prioritized voting, even being named the “Equality State” for being the first state to extend voting rights to women in 1869. However, in recent years, voter turnout has lagged behind other states. 

In Goshen County, only 58.7% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the last presidential election in 2020. Turnout experts say that if you intend to vote, the best way to ensure that happens is to know the necessary information and to make a plan.

In Wyoming, Goshen County residents can register and cast their ballots in person from now until election day, November 5, at the county clerk’s office located at 2125 East A Street, Suite 120, in Torrington. 

Registration requires the voter be a citizen of the United States, be at least 18 years old by general election day, be a resident of Wyoming, not be currently adjudicated mentally incompetent, and not be a convicted felon without restored voting rights. 

Bring your driver’s license, or if you do not have one, contact the county clerk or visit the Wyoming Secretary of State’s website for alternative acceptable identification. 

If you meet these requirements, the in-person process is as simple as presenting your driver’s license to the staff at the county clerk’s office and signing a form. If you have previously registered in another state or county, you will need to register again in your current county of residence.

Early voting began on October 8 and will continue until November 4 at the county clerk’s office Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 4 p.m. The early voting ballots are the same as those used at the general election on November 5, and your vote will be counted the same whether you vote early or on election day. You will need to present your driver’s license, and you will then have the option to use either touch-screen or pen-and-ink ballots. The office has privacy screens available. While there have been some lines, most voters can vote without significant wait times. Mary Feagler, Goshen County Clerk, reported that more than 1,400 Goshen County voters have already cast their ballots during early voting.

The deadline for requesting absentee ballots has passed, but if you requested one, it must be received at the county clerk’s office by 7 p.m. on election day to be counted.

For those planning to vote on November 5, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are unsure of your polling location, the Wyoming Secretary of State has a “Wyoming Voter Information Tool” on its website where you can enter your address to obtain specific information. You can also call the county clerk’s office at (307) 532-4051. Many employers are required to give employees an hour off to vote on election day for those who cannot get to the polls due to work commitments.

On the 2024 General Election Ballot, voters will decide on significant offices and issues, including the United States President, United States Senator, various local offices, and several tax issues. The outcome of this election will have widespread policy ramifications at local, state, and national levels. As the Mayor of Torrington, Herb Doby has stated, voting is the “right, responsibility, and privilege” of all citizens to make their voices heard. Review the people and issues on the ballot and make your plan to vote!