A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a progressive group and attorney Marc Elias challenging Wyoming’s new voter registration law, dealing a significant legal defeat to efforts targeting the state’s election integrity measures.
U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge House Bill 156, a law requiring proof of U.S. citizenship and Wyoming residency to register to vote. The suit was filed by the Equality State Policy Center with Elias as counsel.
In his 17-page ruling, Judge Skavdahl wrote that the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction, stating: “Plaintiff has not adequately demonstrated its standing to sue on its own behalf or on behalf of others in this action. The Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over this lawsuit, and consequently it must be dismissed.”
The decision emphasized that under Article III of the Constitution, plaintiffs must demonstrate an “injury in fact” that is both concrete and traceable to the challenged law. Skavdahl noted that the group’s claims of diverted resources failed to meet that threshold, citing the Supreme Court’s recent reasoning in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine.
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray, the lead defendant in the case, praised the outcome. “This is a huge win for the people of Wyoming,” Gray said in a statement, calling proof-of-citizenship a “common sense, conservative election integrity measure” and a top priority of his office and President Trump.
Gray thanked the Trump administration for its statement of interest in the case, as well as the Republican National Committee and Dhillon Law Group for supporting the state’s defense.
