Candidate filings trickle in for primary races

Deadline to file is set for this Friday

With only days remaining in the filing period, filings for office in North Big Horn County for the 2024 Primary Election are coming in very slowly, according to area town clerks, the Big Horn County Clerk’s office and the Wyoming Secretary of State office.

Though a presidential election year, 2024 is an off year for local and state offices, with most elected officials midway through four-year terms.

As of Tuesday, there were only four filings for town council in the area. Ray Messamer has filed to run for his seat on the Lovell town council as has Frannie councilman Roger Ganoung. Deaver incumbents Aspen Beall and Nick Loftus have also filed.

All North Big Horn County mayors are midway through four-year terms.

Other council seats as yet unfiled for are held by Carol Miller in Lovell, Rob Johnson and Dexter Woodis Jr. in Cowley, Richard Horton and Karma Sanders in Byron and Guy DeSantis in Frannie. So far, no races have developed, with no challengers filing.

There is one Big Horn County commission seat up for election this year, a seat currently held by Republican Bruce Jolley, who filed for office last week.

At the regional level, Rep. Dalton Banks, R-Cowley, has filed for the seat he currently holds in the Wyoming House of Representatives representing District 26, and on the state level, incumbent Senator John Barrasso has filed to retain his seat in the U.S. Senate. He is being challenged for the Republican nomination by John Holtz of Laramie.

Also filing was U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, who is seeking her second two-year term in the House. Kyle G. Cameron of Cheyenne has filed for the House on the Democratic ticket. 

Filing for office began last Thursday, May 16, and runs through Friday, May 31, at 5 p.m. Town council candidates may file with their local town clerk, and county commission candidates file with the county clerk. Candidates for state or federal office file with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office.

The Wyoming Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20. Up to two candidates for each town council seat will advance to the November 5 general election, along with one party nomination for each partisan seat -- commissioner, state house, U.S. house and U.S. senate.