July 5, 2023 |
Photo – Joey Correnti – Bigfoot99 file photo
Carbon County Republicans filed an elections complaint against the state’s Democratic Party. During a recent interview, Democrat lawmaker Mike Yin of Teton County commented on differences between how the two parties operated. Yin said Democrats hold party elections once every four years. State Republicans hold their elections every two years. Former Carbon County GOP Chairman Joey Correnti said his reading of the law means elections must occur every two years. Section 22-4-11 of the Wyoming Election Statute states a committee shall perform elections in odd-numbered years.
Representative Mike Yin is a member of the state’s House Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Committee, a group of lawmakers that oversees matters related to business regulations, voting processes, campaign rules, and public access to government information. Correnti said Yin should have specific insight into the law. He said his election code violation complaint was not politically motivated.
Correnti said having two sets of rules for the different political parties is a violation of the Constitution. The Equal Protection Clause, which is part of the Fourteenth Amendment, says states must treat everyone equally under the law.
Correnti said his election complaint wasn’t meant to be a “gotcha” moment against his political rivals. He said he wants to open a dialog on the role of government in the day-to-day functions of the state’s political parties.
Correnti said he submitted his complaint to the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office several weeks ago. He said the process is out of his hands, but he thinks that Secretary of State Chuck Gray would contact Wyoming Democratic Party Chairman Joe Barbuto and decide if a violation happened. Correnti said Attorney General Bridget Hill would have the final say on the matter.
Correnti said he doesn’t think the Democratic Party intentionally broke the law. He said the government shouldn’t have any say in the internal business of any political organization. Correnti said he wants his complaint to serve as a catalyst for governmental restraint.
Bigfoot99 asked if the state’s Legislative Services Office would have some say in interpreting the law. The LSO provides law makers with legal staff who can research and analyze the law and provide legal opinions. Correnti said the Legislative Services Office doesn’t have the authority to decide what the law actually means.
Correnti said, as far as he knows, the state’s Republican Party has always held elections on every odd year. He said the government should not be involved with the internal goings-on of the political parties. He said the government’s only responsibility is to ensure elections are run safely and securely, which he said Wyoming does a good job of.
Correnti said he will continue to act as a political watchdog. He said he is a registered Republican, but isn’t in lockstep with the party. Correnti said he will act apolitically, searching for wrongdoing no matter what party is involved.
Bigfoot99 called Representative Yin and the Wyoming Democratic Party’s office asking for a statement. Both calls went unanswered.
