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
AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantRepublicanDemocraticEnd of 67th Legislature 29 2 310Beginning of 68th Legislature 29 2 310Latest voting share
Leadership Wyoming, along with Maine, New Hampshire, and Oregon, is one of the four U.S. states without 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).
Position Name Party District President of the Senate Bo Biteman Republican 21 Senate Vice President Tim Salazar Republican 26 Majority Leader Tara Nethercott Republican 4 Minority Leader Mike Gierau Democratic 17 Minority Whip Chris Rothfuss Democratic 9
Members of the Wyoming Senate DistrictNamePartyResidenceCountiesNested House DistrictsStartNext Election1RepublicanDevils TowerCampbell, Crook, WestonHD 1, HD 52201020262RepublicanDouglasConverse, PlatteHD 6, HD 62201520283RepublicanLingleGoshen, Niobrara, WestonHD 2, HD 5201820264RepublicanCheyenneLaramieHD 7, HD 8201620285RepublicanCheyenneLaramieHD 12, HD 42201820266RepublicanCheyenne LaramieHD 4, HD 1020252026 (special)7RepublicanCheyenneLaramieHD 9, HD 41201420268RepublicanCheyenneLaramieHD 11, HD 44202420289DemocraticLaramieAlbanyHD 13, HD 452010202610RepublicanLaramieAlbanyHD 14, HD 462024202811RepublicanBaggsAlbany, CarbonHD 13, HD 452010202612RepublicanRock SpringsFremont, SweetwaterHD 17, HD 482020202813RepublicanRock SpringsSweetwaterHD 39, HD 602022202614RepublicanKemmererLincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, UintaHD 18, HD 202024202815RepublicanEvanstonUintaHD 19, HD 492018202616RepublicanAftonLincoln, Sublette, TetonHD 21, HD 222008202817DemocraticJackson HoleTetonHD 16, HD 232018202618RepublicanPowellParkHD 24, HD 502020202819RepublicanPowellBig Horn, ParkHD 25, HD 262014202620RepublicanTen SleepBig Horn, Hot Springs, Park, WashakieHD 27, HD 282020202821RepublicanRanchesterSheridanHD 29, HD 30, HD 40, HD 512018202622RepublicanBuffaloSheridan, Johnson2024202823RepublicanGilletteCampbellHD 3, HD 312022202624RepublicanGilletteCampbellHD 32, HD 532020202825RepublicanLanderFremontHD 33, HD 541998202626RepublicanRivertonFremontHD 34, HD 552020202827RepublicanCasperNatronaHD 35, HD 362007202628RepublicanCasperNatronaHD 56, HD 572012202829RepublicanCasperNatronaHD 37, HD 592022202630RepublicanCasperNatronaHD 38, HD 581982202831RepublicanCheyenneLaramieHD 43, HD 6120222026
Current committees and members
Judiciary Chairman Jared Olsen Members Barry Crago Gary Crum Larry Hicks John Kolb Appropriations Chairman Tim Salazar Members Ogden Driskill Mike Gierau Dan Laursen Darin Smith Revenue Chairman Troy McKeown Members Cale Case Tim French Bob Ide Stephan Pappas Education Chairman Wendy Schuler Members Evie Brennan Jared Olsen Chris Rothfuss Charles Scott Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources Chairman Tim French Members Barry Crago Bob Ide Troy McKeown Laura Pearson Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Chairman Bill Landen Members Brian Boner Larry Hicks Stacy Jones Wendy Schuler
Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Chairman Cale Case Members Brian Boner Dan Dockstader Bill Landen Cheri Steinmetz Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Chairman Stephan Pappas Members Jim Anderson Evie Brennan Ed Cooper John Kolb Minerals, Business & Economic Development Chairman Jim Anderson Members Ed Cooper Stacy Jones Tara Nethercott Chris Rothfuss Labor, Health & Social Services Chairman Eric Barlow Members Gary Crum Lynn Hutchings Charles Scott Cheri Steinmetz Journal Chairman Gary Crum Members Mike Gierau Rules & Procedure Chairman Bo Biteman Members Mike Gierau Tara Nethercott Chris Rothfuss Tim Salazar
History Women in the Senate Senator Party Residence Senate Term Notes Dora McGrath Republican Thermopolis 1931–1933 First woman in the Wyoming Senate("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.'")Willa Wales Corbitt DemocraticRiverton1965-1969 Edness Kimball Wilkins DemocraticCasper1967-1973First woman to serve as Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives June Boyle Democratic Laramie 1973–1985 Catherine Parks Republican Gillette 1979–1985 Win Hickey Democratic Cheyenne 1981–1991 Lisa F. Kinney Democratic Laramie 1985–1995 Della Herbst Democratic Sheridan 1987–1993 Harriet Elizabeth Byrd Democratic Cheyenne 1989–1993 First African-American to serve in the State LegislatureUniversity of Wyoming-UW Profiles Harriet Elizabeth "Liz" Byrd Susan C. Anderson Democratic Casper 1993–1995 April Brimmer-Kunz Republican Cheyenne 1993–2005 First female President of the Senate Barbara Cubin Republican Casper 1993–1995 Resigned to become U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis Republican Cheyenne 1993–1995 Later served as State Treasurer, U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator Mary MacGuire Republican Casper 1993–1995 Son Joe MacGuire currently serves in the Wyoming House of Representatives Irene Devin Republican Laramie 1997–2005 Rae Lynn Job Democratic Rock Springs 1997–2009 E. Jayne Mockler Democratic Cheyenne 1997–2009 Kathryn Sessions Democratic Cheyenne 1999–2011 Jana H. Ginter Democratic Cheyenne 2004–2005 Patricia Aullman Republican Thayne 2005–2009 Saundra Meyer Democratic Evanston 2009–2011 Leslie Nutting Republican Cheyenne 2011–2015 Bernadine Craft Democratic Rock Springs 2013–2017 Liisa Anselmi-Dalton Democratic Rock Springs 2017–2021 Affie Ellis Republican Cheyenne 2017–2025 Member of the Navajo Nation, first Native American to serve in the Wyoming Senate. Tara Nethercott Republican Cheyenne 2017–present Wendy Davis Schuler Republican Evanston 2019–present Lynn Hutchings Republican Cheyenne 2019–present Cheri Steinmetz Republican Lingle 2019–present Evie Brennan Republican Cheyenne 2023–present Stacy Jones Republican Rock Springs 2023–present Laura Taliaferro Pearson Republican Kemmerer 2025–present
Past composition of the Senate
Recent composition AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalRepublicanDemocraticVacant57th Legislature (2003–2004) 20 10 30058th Legislature (2005–2006) 23 7 30059th Legislature (2007–2008) 23 7 30060th Legislature (2009–2010) 23 7 30061st Legislature (2011–2012) 26 4 30062nd Legislature (2013–2014) 26 4 30063rd Legislature (2015–2016) 26 4 30064th Legislature (2017–2018) 27 3 30065th Legislature (2019–2020) 27 3 30066th Legislature (2021–2022) 28 2 30067th Legislature (2023–2024) 29 2 310
Historical composition
Total 1st 18699 9 2nd 1871153 9 3rd 187345 9 4th 1875112 13 5th 187794 13 6th 187985 13 7th 188284 12 8th 188484 12 9th 188648 12 10th 1888138 12 11th 189075 12
Total 1st 1890313 16 2nd 1892511 16 3rd 1894414 18 4th 18964114 19 5th 1898613 19 6th 19001216 19 7th 1902221 23 8th 1904329 23 9th 1906221 23 10th 1908324 27 11th 1910621 27 12th 1912819 27 13th 1914819 27 14th 19161116 27 15th 19181017 27 16th 1920322 25 17th 1922520 25 18th 19241116 27 19th 19261215 27 20th 19281017 27 21st 1930621 27 22nd 19321215 27 23rd 19341413 27 24th 19361611 27 25th 19381116 27 26th 19401116 27 27th 19421017 27 28th 1944621 27 29th 1946819 27 30th 1948918 27 31st 19501017 27 32nd 1952621 27 33rd 1954819 27 34th 19561116 27 35th 19581116 27 36th 19601017 27 37th 19621116 27 38th 19641213 25 39th 19661218 30 40th 19681218 30 41st 19701119 30 42nd 19721317 30 43rd 197415*15 30 44th 19761218 30 45th 19781119 30 46th 19801119 30 47th 19821119 30 48th 19841119 30 49th 19861119 30 50th 19881119 30 51st 19901020 30 52nd 19921020 30 53rd 19941020 30 54th 1996921 30 55th 19981020 30 56th 20001020 30 57th 20021020 30 58th 2004723 30 59th 2006723 30 60th 2008723 30 61st 2010426 30 62nd 2012426 30 63rd 2014426 30 64th 2016327 30 65th 2018327 30 66th 2020228 30 67th 2022229 31 68th 2024229 31
See also Wyoming State Capitol Wyoming State Legislature Wyoming House of Representatives List of Wyoming state legislatures List of Wyoming Senate districts
Notes
References
External links Wyoming Senate Project Vote Smart – State Senate of Wyoming The Wyoming Liberty Index