Sheridan - In every election there are any number of election controversies: prohibited imagery, missed reporting deadlines, and signs where they shouldn’t be. The Open Range Record previously reported on candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction Steve Harshman handing out campaign signs in the parking lot of the Thyra Thompson Building in Casper. Because Harshman is an elected Representative, that is a violation of WS 9-13-105.
In another case of “What if a conservative had done it?”, Wednesday, July 29, a video surfaced clearly showing a Ryan Koltiska for House District 30 sign on Wyoming State Trust land off Wyarno Road in Sheridan County. For Iphone, click here.
Each candidate, regardless of office sought, is given a campaign guide from the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office. On one of the very first pages, it says:
“Written campaign advertising (e.g., signs or posters) shall not be placed on or attached to: any real or personal property of the state or its political subdivisions, except for colleges or schools and subject to regulation by their governing boards. Counties, municipalities, and privately owned properties have their own regulations on campaign advertising.” W.S. 22-25-115
The Open Range Record asked Koltiska for comment prior to publication. In the request, Koltiska was asked, “Who gave you permission to place campaign materials on State Land? Did you personally place that sign? This is a clear violation of our ethics statutes. If a campaign doesn't follow statutes before the election how can Sheridan County expect that, if elected, you will while in office?”
In response, Koltiska only said, “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. The sign will be removed.” By publication, the sign had been removed.
The underlying reasoning for 22-25-115 is straightforward. Government property belongs to all taxpayers and not any one individual. State Trust lands, in particular, are managed by the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments. The Wyoming Constitution specifically states that these lands are to be managed by OSLI for the benefit of schools. Furthermore, public resources should not be used to benefit one candidate over another by converting them to campaign resources.
When reached for comment, Mark Jennings, Koltiska’s opponent in the House District 30 race, said, “Had one of my signs been in the same place, it would already be on the front page of the paper. Everyone needs to play by the same rules.”
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray, in connection with a different story, told The Open Range Record that there are a lot of instances of Title 22 infractions of various kinds across the state. The problem he pointed out is that these infractions are hardly ever prosecuted. Cowboy State Politics reported in 2025 that there were 16 election complaints the Wyoming Secretary of State forwarded to the Wyoming Attorney General. To date, all of them are still sitting on the AG’s desk.
No matter which candidate a voter supports, elections should be held on an even playing field. Using public resources for personal political benefit is clearly prohibited in multiple chapters of Wyoming law; and it is clear from the candidate guide what is illegal and what is not. Wyoming voters should have questions about a candidate that is not following election law.