Online Poll: What Is The Biggest Issue Facing Wyoming In The 2026 Elections?

2026 is, of course, an election year.

In Wyoming, races include everything from local school board contests to races for statewide offices including governor, the U.S. Senate, and U.S. House.

Races for the state legislature are also in play, including 16 seats in the Wyoming Senate and every Wyoming House seat, albeit some legislative candidates are running unopposed.

Numerous local offices are also in play, including city council, county commission and school boards as well as races for county sheriff and other offices. State voters in November decide the fate of a proposal to cut residential property taxes by 50 percent.

So what is the single issue you personally care most about when casting your ballot this year, whether it is for a local city council race, governor of Wyoming or any other?

Data Centers, Property Taxes Have Generated Headlines

Based on media coverage, it would seem like two issues have generated the most buzz.

Residential property taxes, have been the subject of a fair amount of legislation and political debate over the last couple of years. A lot of residents think they are way out of hand, with senior citizens in particular being forced to make some hard decisions and sometimes even leave their homes. It's no accident that there is a statewide ballot initiative to cut residential property taxes in half. The drive to cut property taxes is also driven in part by the view that government entities in Wyoming spend too much money and need to ''cut the fat."

On the other side of the argument,  opponents of property tax cuts point out that while no one likes paying taxes, Wyoming's residential property taxes are relatively low compared to other states. For example, a recent tanking by Rocket Mortgage says Wyoming's property taxes are 40th highest in the nation. Some opponents of cutting property taxes also argue that there is a misconception that property taxes are going to fund what are seen as 'wasteful" state programs when in fact the money is spent locally on everything from fire districts to schools.

Then there is the issue of data centers, which seems to have caught fire as a political issue in 2026.

Opponents of data centers say they will consume too much water in a state where that is a precious commodity and worry that they will likewise force up the costs of electricity for other ratepayers. Some opponents says that even if the centers themselves won't directly use huge amounts of water, more water will be consumed to generate the extra power needed for data centers. Some opponents also say the facilities emit a low frequency buzz that disturbs livestock and worry that a proliferation of data centers will damage Wyoming's rural nature and pristine views.

But data center supporters say opponents are buying into misinformation and non-factual hysteria. They say modern data centers don't consume large amounts of water, since they operate on closed systems. They say some modern centers use air or glycol cooling systems. So far as electricity, they point to tariffs imposed on Black Hills energy on data centers to offset the cost of generating extra energy as a model of how to prevent increased power rates for residential rate payers. The say data centers could be a major asset to Wyoming's economy and that the state shouldn't miss out on the opportunity.

But just because data centers and property taxes have been generating a lot of buzz lately doesn't mean they are the only issues voters are concerned about. A lot of folks think wasteful government spending is a huge issue. School funding has been the. subject of court fights dating back to the 1980s. And the cost of living is a huge issue everywhere, including Wyoming.

So what do you think is the biggest issue facing Wyoming voters in 2026? Take our poll and give us your opinion!