Taylor Haynes, who would have been the first independent candidate on the ballot for Wyoming Governor since 1958 if he had qualified this year, did not qualify.  He was unable to obtain the needed 4,988 valid signatures.  This is the second petition failure in Wyoming this year.   The Constitution Party also made a strong effort, but failed.  See this story.

Wyoming’s requirement, 2% of the last vote cast, is significantly more severe in midterm years than in presidential years, because voter turnout is higher in presidential years.  No statewide minor party or independent candidate petition has succeeded in Wyoming since 1994, the last time the Libertarian Party petitioned in Wyoming.  Libertarians have not needed to petition since 1994, because the party always meets the 2% vote test.  Mike Wheeler, the Libertarian nominee, is on the ballot for Governor this year.

Wyoming is one of the few states in the nation in which neither the Green Party nor the Constitution Party has ever appeared on the ballot.  Wyoming only required 100 signatures for statewide minor party candidates, and for independent candidates, between 1890 and 1961, but in 1961 the legislature boosted the requirement to 5% of the last vote cast, although it has since been lowered to 2%.