I Knew How to Vote. I Didn’t Know Who I Was Voting For

Posted October 30, 2026 by Prairie Wife -

I’ve only recently begun to understand how our government works.

I know some of you may be rolling your eyes or perhaps even feeling a bit of rage and disbelief that a 44-year-old woman is just now learning about something that has such a huge impact on our lives.

But I know without a doubt that there are many people who are just like me.

Yes, I unwaveringly exercised my right to vote.

Yet, when it was time to vote, I relied on my husband and those around me to educate me on candidates and help guide my opinions.

I voted for our Governor and our President with confidence in my personal knowledge of what their responsibilities in office were.

The list of names for School Board Members was easy to go through.

But after that, things got a bit muddy.

I knew how to vote.

I didn’t know WHO I was voting for.

There was always a long list of people running for City Council and open County Commissioner spots. Truthfully, I had no idea what the difference was between the two of them.

I had no idea what our Senators and Representatives ACTUALLY did.

Not to mention there were a bunch more positions that had to do with local law enforcement and our court system. But I was a law-abiding citizen, so I never worried too much about that either, because why would I need to deal with them?

Let’s pause for a moment so I can allow you to feel more emotions.

Some of you may now be grinding your teeth and speaking out loud about my lack of intelligence. Didn’t I pay attention in school?

I’m embarrassed of myself as I type this all out, but again I say, I know that there are thousands of other people that are just like I was.

So, what blasted me out of my ignorant bubble of participating in our government at the bare minimum level?

The first step was learning that an adult stalking a minor was only a misdemeanor charge in the state of Wyoming.

My rage led me to Google, where I asked: “How do you change a law?”

The answer I was given was overwhelming and confusing, so I reached out to a friend of mine who had experience in this area.

He gave me a few names of people in our area that he felt could help point me in the right direction.

I asked them to meet me, and they spent hours walking me through what I needed to do.

It turns out that our legislators (the name used for both Senators and Representatives) are the ones who help create and pass bills.

Bills, when passed, become laws.

Suddenly those names on the ballot and the importance of who I picked became a bit clearer.

Did you know that for a bill to pass, it has to be voted on three times in the House and three times in the Senate? That’s six times the majority has to agree on the bill before it makes it to the Governor’s desk!

Fun Fact: If the Governor doesn’t like the bill, they can refuse to sign it, and it won’t become law.

That’s one reason why it’s important to vote for a Governor that aligns most with your vision for what Wyoming should be.

In February of this year, I spent multiple days at the Capitol during our 2026 Legislative Session. This is when our legislators descend upon the Capitol to introduce and debate bills, vote on proposed laws, and make changes to existing laws.

While looking down on our legislators from the public gallery, I observed a lot. The now infamous “checkgate” scandal unfolded before my eyes. I noticed seats left unattended for multiple hours day after day. I witnessed legislators watching TV on their iPads during session. I watched the same people get up again and again to debate a variety of topics. I noticed people who spent time talking to those around them and others who didn’t even acknowledge the people sitting right next to them.

Suddenly, now that I understood what the “job” was, the importance of picking the right person became crystal clear.

Wyoming.

As we draw near to our voting time, I ask you to not only think about who the candidates are, but what job they seek to fill, and the effort they’ll put into representing the community when elected to that position.

Don’t just vote based on the name, or even a candidate’s party affiliation; vote for the person who can do the job right.

Categories: Life As It Happens, Prairie Life

Tags: , choosing elected officials, citizen involvement, civic engagement, community leadership, grassroots advocacy, informed voters, informed voting, local elections, local government, making your vote count, political awareness, Prairie Wife, understanding government, voter education, voting responsibly, Wyoming advocacy, Wyoming elections, Wyoming government, Wyoming legislative session, Wyoming Legislature, Wyoming politics, Wyoming voters