CHEYENNE — Wyoming Republican Gov. Mark Gordon on Wednesday raised concerns about the behavior of U.S. Department of Justice election monitors who observed the state’s primary last week, calling their conduct “aggressive” and “irregular” and asking the state attorney general to review the visits.
Gordon made his comments during a state canvassing board meeting, saying the monitors’ manner appeared to exceed the authority Congress granted for federal voting-rights observers and that local officials were not told in advance of the visits.
“It sounded like the behavior of the observers was a bit aggressive,” Gordon said. “It just was irregular and I have asked the attorney general to start looking into, you know, kind of the nature of the visits and all that sort of stuff.”
The governor also sought to balance his critique with praise for how the election itself was run, telling the board he was not asserting that anything had gone wrong in the voting process. “I’m not saying anything went wrong or anything else, and I certainly think the conduct of this election was phenomenal,” he said.
County official describes monitors’ requests
Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee, a Republican, reflected similar frustrations and described the deployment as poorly managed. In a written statement she said she learned of the monitors’ presence shortly after they arrived and that a DOJ official in Washington told her the decision to send observers had been made on short notice.
Lee said she was told an email had been sent to her office but that it might have gone to the wrong address. She said the monitors asked questions she considered beyond the scope of federal voting-rights law, including requests for training guides, inquiries about how the county’s new election equipment was acquired and a request to examine tabulators. Lee added she denied requests by the monitors to interview voters.
“Shortly after learning of their presence, I spoke with a DOJ official in Washington who informed me that the decision to deploy monitors to Wyoming was made on short notice, and an email had been sent to me, but it may have gone to the wrong address,” Lee said.
Federal response and context
The Justice Department referred to statements issued Aug. 18, the day of Wyoming’s primary, by the U.S. attorney in the state. In his message, U.S. Attorney Darin Smith emphasized the department’s role in ensuring lawful voting and protecting voters’ confidence.
“Voters deserve absolute confidence that their ballots are secure and their voices are heard without interference,” Smith said in the Aug. 18 statement. “We are working alongside local officials to ensure every lawful vote is protected.” The DOJ also issued its own statement that day explaining it would send attorneys with its civil rights division to observe elections.
What officials said they were asked and what they declined
Local election officials described specific types of requests from the DOJ monitors that raised concerns:
- Requests for training materials used by county election staff.
- Questions about procurement or acquisition of new election equipment.
- Requests to inspect tabulation machines or tabulators.
- Attempts to interview individual voters, which county clerks declined.
Officials said these types of inquiries prompted questions about the observers’ remit and whether the interactions had been coordinated with state and local authorities in advance.
| Actor | Stated position |
|---|---|
| Gov. Mark Gordon | Observed behavior was "aggressive" and "irregular"; requested AG review |
| Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee | Called deployment poorly managed; denied voter interviews |
| U.S. Attorney Darin Smith / DOJ | Stated work is to protect lawful voting and voter confidence |
Gordon’s request that the state attorney general review the monitors’ activities signals the matter could undergo legal or administrative scrutiny, though the governor stopped short of asserting any specific violations of law or procedure during his remarks.
The dispute highlights tensions that can arise when federal civil-rights teams observe elections in states where officials say they were not coordinated with beforehand. Federal monitors can be deployed under certain statutes to protect voting rights, but the scope and conduct of their activities sometimes prompt debate between local and federal officials.
As of Wednesday, the Justice Department has not issued a separate, detailed public account addressing the specific conduct concerns raised by Wyoming officials beyond the earlier statements emphasizing protections for voters and lawful processes.
State and local officials said they will continue to work through established channels to resolve questions about the monitors’ visits, and the attorney general’s office will decide whether further action is warranted based on the governor’s request.
This story will be updated if the attorney general’s review produces findings or if federal officials provide additional detail about the observers’ activities in Wyoming.
