Filing closes Friday — Local races continue to take shape for 2026 election
With the filing deadline just days away, candidates continue to enter local races for the 2026 election cycle ahead of the May 29 close of filing for most county, state and federal offices.
Weston County voters will see a full slate of county, municipal, legislative, judicial, statewide and federal offices during this year’s primary, which will be held Aug. 18. This election will shape the general election races, determining which Republican and Democrat candidates will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Filing for most county, state and federal offices opened May 14 and will remain open through the end of the week.
At the local level, all elected county offices will be up for election, including county commissioner, clerk, treasurer, sheriff, assessor, county attorney, coroner and clerk of district court.
Several local candidates have already emerged.
County commission seats up for election this year are those held by Chairman Nathan Todd, Vera Huber and Garrett Borton, according to interim County Clerk Amber Green. As of May 26, former commissioner Don Taylor is the only individual who has filed for county commissioner.
On the same list are two candidates for sheriff, current Sheriff Bryan Colvard and former Upton Police Chief Susan Bridge. The county clerk race also has two filings, with both Green and Mike Tooman vying for the position.
Also filing for office are the current appointed Clerk of District Court Riki Kaiser, and the following incumbents: County Assessor Kara Lenardson, County Coroner Scott E. Beachler, County Treasurer Susan Overman and County Attorney Michael Stulken.
Also at the county level are precinct committee races. As of May 26, those filing to run for committeeman are Kolby Pisciotti, John Butts, James Burrough, Mike Tooman, Jon Tidyman, Edward Wagoner, Ted Ertman, Kenneth Hoffman, Bill Lambert, Clay Branscom, Richard Wehri, Curtis Rankin, Tom Wing, Robert W. Akers and Jason Jenkins.
Vying for committeewoman positions are Suzanne Burrough, Tonya-Marie Foote, Marty Ertman, Roxie Taft, Joanna L. Akers, Karen Drost, Megan Stith and Jill Pischke.
Municipal races are also beginning to take shape in Newcastle, where three City Council seats currently held by Don Steveson, Ann McColley and John Butts will appear on the ballot this year.
As of now, Steveson, Butts and newcomer Wyatt Voelker are the only candidates to file or publicly express interest in the seats, according to City Clerk-Treasurer Stacy Haggerty.
Weston County voters will also decide legislative races representing the area in Cheyenne.
In Wyoming House District 1, according to information from the Wyoming Secretary of State’s website, Troy Claycomb of Upton has filed and will face Republican challenger Zeta Nuckolls Anderson of Devils Tower.
In House District 2, incumbent Rep. J.D. Williams, R-Lusk, has filed for reelection.
Senate District 3 incumbent Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Torrington, has also filed for reelection.
As of May 26, no one had filed for the Senate District 1 seat, although both incumbent Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, and Speaker of the House Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, have announced campaigns for the seat.
Judicial retention races will also appear on the ballot this year. Weston County is part of the 6th Judicial District, where Circuit Court judges Paul Phillips and Greg R. Steward are up for retention.
At the statewide level, Wyoming voters will nominate a governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer and superintendent of public instruction.
Candidates who have already filed for statewide office include current Rep. Rachel Williams, R-Cody, Republican Robert Short and Democrat Bryan McCarty for secretary of state and incumbent Kristi Racines for state auditor.
Republicans Chad Auer, Steve Harshman and Tom Kelly, along with Democrats Ana Cordova and Sergio Maldonado Sr., have filed for superintendent of public instruction.
Republicans Brent Bien, Eric Barlow and Megan Degenfelder have filed for governor, while Kenneth R. Casner has filed as a Democrat.
Republican incumbent Curt Meier has also filed for state treasurer.
Federal races are also taking shape.
For Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat, Republicans Frank Chapman, Jillian Balow, Kevin Christensen, Reid Rasner and Steve Friess have filed, along with Democrat Lisa Kinney.
In the race for U.S. Senate, current Rep. Harriet Hageman has filed for the seat and will face Republican challengers Jill M. Edwards, Jimmy Skovgard, John Allan Holtz and Sam Mead. Democrats Billy Benavidez and James Byrd have both filed for the seat as well.
According to information provided by the Wyoming News Exchange, candidates for county office must file with the county clerk, while candidates for state and federal offices file through the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office.
County candidates must be qualified electors and residents of the county, while municipal candidates must have been registered voters and residents of the municipality and ward for at least one year before the election.
The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 18, with the general election set for Nov. 3.