Wyoming held its general election on November 8, 2016, deciding 75 legislative seats. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans widened their Senate supermajority to 27-3 and held the House at 51-9, and House Democrats lost their floor leader.
- Newcomer Jared Olsen (R) narrowly unseated House Minority Floor Leader Mary Throne (D), a ten-year member, in a contentious race, winning House District 11 by about 60 votes.
- Republicans won all three contested Laramie County Senate races, including the chamber's only flip: Affie Ellis (R) ousted Sen. Floyd Esquibel (D) by about 22 points in Senate District 8. His brother, Rep. Ken Esquibel (D), gave up his House seat to run for the open Senate District 4 and lost to Tara Nethercott (R) by about 21 points.
- Three other House seats changed party, leaving the chamber's balance unchanged:
- Bill Henderson (R) beat Amy Simpson (D) by about 60 votes for the open District 41 seat Ken Esquibel gave up.
- Debbie Bovee (D) unseated Rep. Gerald Gay (R) by about 6 points in District 36.
- Mike Gierau (D) won the open District 16 seat Republican Ruth Ann Petroff had held, with no opponent on the ballot.
- Among seats that stayed with the same party, Rep. James Allen (R) held House District 33 by about 70 votes. In 17 of the 75 legislative races, only one candidate was on the ballot.
- Voters approved Amendment A, which lets the state invest more of its savings in stocks.
Legislature
- House (60 seats): 9 D, 51 R before the election, 9 D, 51 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (30 seats): 4 D, 26 R before the election, 3 D, 27 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Amendment A | Rules governing investment of state funds | Passed (56.29% yes) |