Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray renewed his call for a ban on private funding for election administration following the appearance of a national election nonprofit, the Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL), at the Wyoming Association of County Officers’ meeting in Rock Springs on September 25.
Gray expressed concern over CTCL’s involvement and warned about the potential influence of private funding in local elections, urging Wyoming to follow the lead of 25 other states that have implemented similar bans.
CTCL gained attention in 2020 when it provided over $350 million to local election offices across the US, funding that was partly backed by tech giants like Google and Facebook. These donations were used to support election infrastructure, such as voting equipment and poll worker protective gear during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds, often referred to as “Zuck Bucks” after Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, have sparked controversy among GOP leaders, who claim the grants unfairly targeted Democratic-leaning areas in key battleground states. Although no evidence suggests CTCL provided funding in Wyoming during the 2020 election, Gray has consistently voiced concerns about the implications of private funding on election integrity.
In a letter sent to Wyoming’s 23 county clerks, Gray described the presence of CTCL at the Rock Springs conference as troubling, reiterating his previous warnings about such organizations’ influence on election administration. He highlighted the risk of foreign actors potentially contributing to election funding, pointing to connections between liberal donors and the nonprofit. Despite this, some clerks at the meeting, such as Natrona County Clerk Tracy Good, downplayed the significance of CTCL’s presence, noting that the nonprofit appeared to be offering only informational resources without pushing any financial assistance.
Fremont County Clerk Julie Freese, who was also at the event, described CTCL’s involvement as innocuous, noting that their representative did not offer any financial support or interfere with election processes. Freese expressed surprise at Gray’s public letter, stating that he had already communicated his concerns to county clerks privately.
Gray’s call for a ban on private election funding aligns with broader efforts across the US by Republicans to prohibit nonprofits from providing direct funding to election offices. Proponents of such bans argue that private money could undermine public confidence in election integrity by creating the appearance of bias. Democrats, on the other hand, have long pushed for increased federal funding for elections to reduce reliance on local budgets, a move opposed by many Republicans.
Attempts to pass legislation banning private funding of elections in Wyoming were introduced in both the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions, but neither gained significant traction. Gray argues that without a statutory ban, Wyoming remains vulnerable to external influence, especially from groups like CTCL, which have expanded their efforts to include grants for rural election infrastructure—targeting states that have not yet prohibited private funding in elections.
Despite Gray’s concerns, some local election officials, like Freese, remain neutral on the issue, noting that election offices often receive guidance and support from a variety of sources, including government agencies. The primary concern for county clerks and groups like the Equality State Policy Center is ensuring that any potential legislation banning private funding does not inhibit the use of facilities provided by local organizations, such as Rotary clubs or schools, which often serve as polling places.
Oil City News and Cowboy State Daily contributed to this report.
