{"id":2650609,"date":"2026-08-27T15:20:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T19:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wyoming-gop-governor-calls-doj-primary-election-monitoring-aggressive\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T15:25:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T19:25:15","slug":"wyoming-gop-governor-calls-doj-primary-election-monitoring-aggressive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wyoming-gop-governor-calls-doj-primary-election-monitoring-aggressive\/","title":{"rendered":"Wyoming GOP governor calls DOJ primary election monitoring &#8216;aggressive&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwyoming-gop-governor-calls-doj-primary-election-monitoring-aggressive%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2650609&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Governor Mark Gordon of Wyoming expressed concerns about the conduct of federal officials observing last week&#8217;s primary election, describing their behavior as &#8220;aggressive&#8221; and &#8220;irregular.&#8221; He has asked the state&#8217;s attorney general to investigate the nature of their visits. the Justice Department announced it would monitor Wyoming&#8217;s elections to promote transparency, deploying over 75 personnel across multiple states. Wyoming officials, including Secretary of State Chuck Gray and County Clerk Debra Lee, reported that federal monitors arrived during a busy election period, did not initially show credentials, and asked questions beyond typical voting rights laws, such as inquiries about poll worker training and election equipment. Lee also denied monitors&#8217; requests to interview voters and criticized the overall management of the monitoring effort. This election oversight initiative is part of a broader federal effort, with plans to expand monitoring during the upcoming November elections nationwide.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. Mark Gordon (R-WY) raised concerns Wednesday about what he described as \u201caggressive\u201d and \u201cirregular\u201d conduct by federal officials dispatched to observe last week\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primaries\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2655\">primary election<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt sounded like the behavior of the observers was a bit aggressive,\u201d Gordon said during a Wednesday meeting of the State Canvassing Board. \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4703111\/wyoming-mark-gordon-election-monitor-aggressive\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Wyoming GOP governor calls DOJ election monitoring \u2018aggressive\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4702809\/us-opposes-9-11-attackers-supreme-court-bid-to-avoid-death-penalty\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>US opposes 9\/11 attackers\u2019 Supreme Court bid to avoid death penalty<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4702625\/desantis-misappropriate-hope-florida-grand-jury\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DeSantis administration misappropriated $10 million in Hope Florida debacle: Grand jury<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.laramiecountywy.gov\/County-Government\/Elected-Officials\/County-Clerk\">meeting minutes<\/a>, Gordon also said he was uncomfortable with the Justice Department\u2019s election monitoring because his administration had not been informed about the effort. He said he had asked the Wyoming Attorney General\u2019s Office to examine the matter.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Election Director Paul Raines addressed Gordon\u2019s concerns during the meeting. Gray said public reporting indicated that U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming Darin Smith was aware of the Justice Department\u2019s plans and had been working with the agency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-conduct-election-monitoring-florida-and-wyoming-primary-elections\">publicly announced<\/a> on primary day that it would monitor Wyoming\u2019s election as part of a broader effort to oversee elections in several states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis monitoring initiative is aimed at promoting transparency and an open flow of communication between poll observers and election monitors,\u201d the department said in its announcement.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department added that it had deployed more than 75 personnel to monitor elections at more than 200 polling locations across five states during the primary season. By comparison, the department flagged that it sent monitors to nine states during the 2022 midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee, a Republican and the county\u2019s chief election official, also raised concerns about the federal monitors\u2019 presence at polling locations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTwo individuals, identifying themselves as DOJ election monitors, informed our poll worker that they were here to monitor Wyoming\u2019s Primary Elections,\u201d Lee said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyomingnews.com\/news\/local_news\/gov-gordon-concerned-by-aggressive-doj-election-observers-during-wyoming-s-primary\/article_84eecdb6-b16d-45f4-9bec-7f9286412a3e.html\">statement<\/a>, according to the <em>Wyoming Tribune Eagle<\/em>. \u201cThey did not offer their credentials until I requested they do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lee said the monitors arrived during a busy period and asked questions she believed appeared \u201coutside the scope of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-doj-deploys-feds-wherever-gop-poll-watchers-could-disrupt-dems-election-rigging-schemes\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s DOJ Deploys Feds Wherever GOP Poll Watchers Could Disrupt Dems\u2019 ...-Rigging Schemes\">federal voting rights laws<\/a>.\u201d Among their questions, she said, were inquiries about the nature, length and timing of poll worker training. The monitors also requested training guides, asked how the county acquired its new election equipment, and sought to examine its tabulators, according to Lee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lee said she also denied a request by the monitors to interview voters to assess compliance with federal civil rights and voting rights laws.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe do not allow interviews to be conducted in polling places,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4677479\/democratic-party-big-tent-messaging-ideological-differences-2026-elections\/\">DEMOCRATS FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF PARTY ALL RALLY BEHIND \u2018BIG TENT\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis was a poorly managed exercise and one that showed complete disregard for our state laws and administration of our elections,\u201d Lee added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration has said it plans to expand its election-monitoring efforts, with roughly 1,000 Justice Department personnel expected to be deployed nationwide during the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11675\">November elections<\/a>, when voters will decide control of Congress.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gordon criticizes federal election observers&#8217; aggressive conduct<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4195,"featured_media":2650610,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26168762245040.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7076,42614,6203,4173,3630],"class_list":["post-2650609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-doj","tag-election-monitoring","tag-gop","tag-governor","tag-wyoming"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26168762245040.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4195"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2650609"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650609\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2650615,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650609\/revisions\/2650615"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2650610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2650609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2650609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2650609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}