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Wyoming Senate

Wyoming State Senate
68th Wyoming State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 14, 2025
Leadership
President
Bo Biteman (R)
since January 14, 2025
Vice President
Tim Salazar (R)
since January 14, 2025
Majority Leader
Tara Nethercott (R)
since January 14, 2025
Minority Leader
Mike Gierau (D)
since January 14, 2025
Structure
Seats31
Political groups
Majority
  •   Republican (29)

Minority

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle 3, Wyoming Constitution
Salary$150/day + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 5, 2024
(15 seats)
Next election
November 3, 2026
(16 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Wyoming State Capitol
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Website
Wyoming State Legislature

The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 31 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senate meets at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne.

Members of the Senate serve four-year terms without term limits. Term limits were declared unconstitutional by the Wyoming Supreme Court in 2004, overturning a decade-old law that had restricted Senators to three terms (twelve years).

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Wyoming Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions, boards, or justices to the Wyoming Supreme Court.

Composition of the Senate

[edit]
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
End of 67th Legislature 29 2 31[a] 0
Beginning of 68th Legislature 29 2 31 0
Latest voting share 94% 6%
  1. A 31st district was created during redistricting.

Leadership

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Wyoming, along with Arizona, Maine, and Oregon, is one of the four U.S. states to have abolished the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, a position which for most upper houses of state legislatures and indeed for the U.S. Congress (with the Vice President) is at least the nominal head of the legislative body. Instead, a separate position of Senate President is in place, removed from the Wyoming executive branch.

The current Senate President is Republican Bo Biteman of District 21 (Ranchester).

PositionNamePartyDistrict
President of the SenateBo BitemanRepublican 21
Senate Vice PresidentTim SalazarRepublican26
Majority LeaderTara NethercottRepublican4
Minority LeaderMike GierauDemocratic17
Minority WhipChris RothfussDemocratic9

Members of the Wyoming Senate

[edit]
District Name Party Residence Counties Nested House Districts[1] Start Next Election
1 Ogden Driskill Republican Devils Tower Campbell, Crook, Weston HD 1, HD 52 2010 2026
2 Brian Boner Republican Douglas Converse, Platte HD 6, HD 62 2015[a] 2028
3 Cheri Steinmetz Republican Lingle Goshen, Niobrara, Weston HD 2, HD 5 2018 2026
4 Tara Nethercott Republican Cheyenne Laramie HD 7, HD 8 2016 2028
5 Lynn Hutchings Republican Cheyenne Laramie HD 12, HD 42 2018 2026
6 Taft Love Republican Cheyenne Laramie HD 4, HD 10 2025[a] 2026 (special)
7 Stephan Pappas Republican Cheyenne Laramie HD 9, HD 41 2014 2026
8 Jared Olsen Republican Cheyenne Laramie HD 11, HD 44 2024 2028
9 Chris Rothfuss Democratic Laramie Albany HD 13, HD 45 2010 2026
10 Gary Crum Republican Laramie Albany HD 14, HD 46 2024 2028
11 Larry S. Hicks Republican Baggs Albany, Carbon HD 13, HD 45 2010 2026
12 John Kolb Republican Rock Springs Fremont, Sweetwater HD 17, HD 48 2020 2028
13 Stacy Jones Republican Rock Springs Sweetwater HD 39, HD 60 2022 2026
14 Laura Taliaferro Pearson Republican Kemmerer Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta HD 18, HD 20 2024 2028
15 Wendy Davis Schuler Republican Evanston Uinta HD 19, HD 49 2018 2026
16 Dan Dockstader Republican Afton Lincoln, Sublette, Teton HD 21, HD 22 2008 2028
17 Mike Gierau Democratic Jackson Hole Teton HD 16, HD 23 2018 2026
18 Tim French Republican Powell Park HD 24, HD 50 2020 2028
19 Dan Laursen Republican Powell Big Horn, Park HD 25, HD 26 2014 2026
20 Ed Cooper Republican Ten Sleep Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, Washakie HD 27, HD 28 2020 2028
21 Bo Biteman Republican Ranchester Sheridan HD 29, HD 30, HD 40, HD 51[b] 2018 2026
22 Barry Crago Republican Buffalo Sheridan, Johnson 2024 2028
23 Eric Barlow Republican Gillette Campbell HD 3, HD 31 2022 2026
24 Troy McKeown Republican Gillette Campbell HD 32, HD 53 2020 2028
25 Cale Case Republican Lander Fremont HD 33, HD 54 1998 2026
26 Tim Salazar Republican Riverton Fremont HD 34, HD 55 2020 2028
27 Bill Landen Republican Casper Natrona HD 35, HD 36 2007[a] 2026
28 James Anderson Republican Casper Natrona HD 56, HD 57 2012 2028
29 Bob Ide Republican Casper Natrona HD 37, HD 59 2022[a][2] 2026
30 Charles Scott Republican Casper Natrona HD 38, HD 58 1982 2028
31 Evie Brennan Republican Cheyenne Laramie HD 43, HD 61 2022 2026
  1. 1 2 3 4 Originally appointed.
  2. Only two senate districts not nested.

Current committees and members

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Judiciary

[edit]
Chairman
Jared Olsen
Members
Barry Crago
Gary Crum
Larry Hicks
John Kolb

Appropriations

[edit]
Chairman
Tim Salazar
Members
Ogden Driskill
Mike Gierau
Dan Laursen
Darin Smith

Revenue

[edit]
Chairman
Troy McKeown
Members
Cale Case
Tim French
Bob Ide
Stephan Pappas

Education

[edit]
Chairman
Wendy Schuler
Members
Evie Brennan
Jared Olsen
Chris Rothfuss
Charles Scott

Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

[edit]
Chairman
Tim French
Members
Barry Crago
Bob Ide
Troy McKeown
Laura Pearson

Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources

[edit]
Chairman
Bill Landen
Members
Brian Boner
Larry Hicks
Stacy Jones
Wendy Schuler

Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

[edit]
Chairman
Cale Case
Members
Brian Boner
Dan Dockstader
Bill Landen
Cheri Steinmetz

Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs

[edit]
Chairman
Stephan Pappas
Members
Jim Anderson
Evie Brennan
Ed Cooper
John Kolb

Minerals, Business & Economic Development

[edit]
Chairman
Jim Anderson
Members
Ed Cooper
Stacy Jones
Tara Nethercott
Chris Rothfuss

Labor, Health & Social Services

[edit]
Chairman
Eric Barlow
Members
Gary Crum
Lynn Hutchings
Charles Scott
Cheri Steinmetz

Journal

[edit]
Chairman
Gary Crum
Members
Mike Gierau

Rules & Procedure

[edit]
Chairman
Bo Biteman
Members
Mike Gierau
Tara Nethercott
Chris Rothfuss
Tim Salazar

History

[edit]

Women in the Senate

[edit]
SenatorPartyResidenceSenate TermNotes
Dora McGrathRepublicanThermopolis1931–1933First woman in the Wyoming Senate[3][4]
Willa Wales CorbittDemocraticRiverton1965-1969
Edness Kimball WilkinsDemocraticCasper1967-1973 First woman to serve as Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives[5]
June BoyleDemocraticLaramie1973–1985
Catherine ParksRepublicanGillette1979–1985
Win HickeyDemocraticCheyenne1981–1991
Lisa F. KinneyDemocraticLaramie1985–1995
Della HerbstDemocraticSheridan1987–1993
Harriet Elizabeth ByrdDemocraticCheyenne1989–1993First African-American to serve in the State Legislature[6][7]
Susan C. AndersonDemocraticCasper1993–1995
April Brimmer-KunzRepublicanCheyenne1993–2005First female President of the Senate
Barbara CubinRepublicanCasper1993–1995Resigned to become U.S. Representative
Cynthia LummisRepublicanCheyenne1993–1995Later served as State Treasurer, U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator
Mary MacGuireRepublicanCasper1993–1995Son Joe MacGuire currently serves in the Wyoming House of Representatives
Irene DevinRepublicanLaramie1997–2005
Rae Lynn JobDemocraticRock Springs1997–2009
E. Jayne MocklerDemocraticCheyenne1997–2009
Kathryn SessionsDemocraticCheyenne1999–2011
Jana H. GunterDemocraticCheyenne2004–2005
Patricia AullmanRepublicanThayne2005–2009
Saundra MeyerDemocraticEvanston2009–2011
Leslie NuttingRepublicanCheyenne2011–2015
Bernadine CraftDemocraticRock Springs2013–2017
Liisa Anselmi-DaltonDemocraticRock Springs2017–2021
Affie EllisRepublicanCheyenne2017–2025Member of the Navajo Nation, first Native American to serve in the Wyoming Senate.[8]
Tara NethercottRepublicanCheyenne2017–present
Wendy Davis SchulerRepublicanEvanston2019–present
Lynn HutchingsRepublicanCheyenne2019–present
Cheri SteinmetzRepublicanLingle2019–present
Evie BrennanRepublicanCheyenne2023–present
Stacy JonesRepublicanRock Springs2023–present
Laura Taliaferro PearsonRepublicanKemmerer2025–present

Past composition of the Senate

[edit]

Recent composition

[edit]
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
57th Legislature (2003–2004) 20 10 30 0
58th Legislature (2005–2006) 23 7 30 0
59th Legislature (2007–2008) 23 7 30 0
60th Legislature (2009–2010) 23 7 30 0
61st Legislature (2011–2012) 26 4 30 0
62nd Legislature (2013–2014) 26 4 30 0
63rd Legislature (2015–2016) 26 4 30 0
64th Legislature (2017–2018) 27 3 30 0
65th Legislature (2019–2020) 27 3 30 0
66th Legislature (2021–2022) 28 2 30 0
67th Legislature (2023–2024) 29 2 31[a] 0

Historical composition

[edit]
Wyoming Territorial Council, 1869–1890[9]
  Dem.
  Pop.
  Rep.
Total
1st 1869
9
9
2nd 1871
1 5 3
9
3rd 1873
4 5
9
4th 1875
11 2
13
5th 1877
9 4
13
6th 1879
8 5
13
7th 1882
8 4
12
8th 1884
8 4
12
9th 1886
4 8
12
10th 1888
1 3 8
12
11th 1890
7 5
12
Wyoming Senate, 1890–present[10][11][12][13]
  Dem.
  Pop.
  Rep.
Total
1st 1890
3 13
16
2nd 1892
5 11
16
3rd 1894
4 14
18
4th 1896
4 1 14
19
5th 1898
6 13
19
6th 1900
1 2 16
19
7th 1902
2 21
23
8th 1904
3 29
23
9th 1906
2 21
23
10th 1908
3 24
27
11th 1910
6 21
27
12th 1912
8 19
27
13th 1914
8 19
27
14th 1916
11 16
27
15th 1918
10 17
27
16th 1920
3 22
25
17th 1922
5 20
25
18th 1924
11 16
27
19th 1926
12 15
27
20th 1928
10 17
27
21st 1930
6 21
27
22nd 1932
12 15
27
23rd 1934
14 13
27
24th 1936
16 11
27
25th 1938
11 16
27
26th 1940
11 16
27
27th 1942
10 17
27
28th 1944
6 21
27
29th 1946
8 19
27
30th 1948
9 18
27
31st 1950
10 17
27
32nd 1952
6 21
27
33rd 1954
8 19
27
34th 1956
11 16
27
35th 1958
11 16
27
36th 1960
10 17
27
37th 1962
11 16
27
38th 1964
12 13
25
39th 1966
12 18
30
40th 1968
12 18
30
41st 1970
11 19
30
42nd 1972
13 17
30
43rd 1974
15* 15
30
44th 1976
12 18
30
45th 1978
11 19
30
46th 1980
11 19
30
47th 1982
11 19
30
48th 1984
11 19
30
49th 1986
11 19
30
50th 1988
11 19
30
51st 1990
10 20
30
52nd 1992
10 20
30
53rd 1994
10 20
30
54th 1996
9 21
30
55th 1998
10 20
30
56th 2000
10 20
30
57th 2002
10 20
30
58th 2004
7 23
30
59th 2006
7 23
30
60th 2008
7 23
30
61st 2010
4 26
30
62nd 2012
4 26
30
63rd 2014
4 26
30
64th 2016
3 27
30
65th 2018
3 27
30
66th 2020
2 28
30
67th 2022
2 29
31
68th 2024
2 29
31

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. A 31st district was created during redistricting.

References

[edit]
  1. "HB0100 - Redistricting of the legislature". Wyoming Legislature. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  2. LaChance, Brendan (December 6, 2022). "Casper's Bob Ide sworn in to Wyoming Senate District 29 seat". Oil City News. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  3. "Wyoming Women in the Legislature" (PDF). Historical Information. Wyoming: Wyoming Ssecretary of State Office. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  4. "Nation's 147 Women Legislators Active". The Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. January 19, 1931. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2010.("In Wyoming, where women have been voting since 1869, Mrs. Dora McGrath is the first woman ever elected to the senate. Following her election last September she remarked that rather than go down to the legislature she would prefer to 'stay home and win prizes for my apple pies.'")
  5. American legislative leaders in the West, 1911-1994. Sharp, Nancy Weatherly., Sharp, James Roger, 1936-. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. 1997. ISBN 031330212X. OCLC 35138609.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. University of Wyoming-UW Profiles Harriet Elizabeth "Liz" Byrd
  7. ""Liz" Byrd, first black woman in Wyoming House, dies at 88"". Retrieved February 1, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. "First Native American". Women in Wyoming. Retrieved September 7, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. Trenholm, Virginia Cole (August 1974). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume One (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives and Historical Division. pp. 151–171. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  10. Trenholm, Virginia Cole (August 1974). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Two (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives and Historical Division. pp. 253–378. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  11. Trenholm, Virginia Cole (August 1974). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Three (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives and Historical Division. pp. 52–90. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  12. Jost, Loren (1991). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Four (PDF) (First ed.). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives, Department of Commerce. pp. 158–192. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  13. Roberts, Phillip J. (2008). Wyoming Blue Book, Volume Five (PDF). Cheyenne, Wyoming: Wyoming State Archives, State Parks and Cultural Resources Department. pp. 58–93. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
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Wyoming Senate
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