A Wyoming Wake-Up Call
In Weston County, Wyoming, an election controversy sparked debate when Carbon County Clerk Gwynn Bartlett attributed a ballot-counting issue to “human error.” This incident, reported on June 12, 2025, underscores a critical flaw in machine-based voting systems: they rely on humans, yet obscure transparency. We see this as a call to action.
The Weston County Controversy
The Wyoming election error, detailed by the Laramie Boomerang, involved discrepancies in ballot counts that Bartlett chalked up to human oversight in handling machine-processed votes. While “human error” sounds benign, it raises a question: if humans are fallible, why trust machines that humans operate? Machines don’t self-correct; they hide mistakes in code or calibration errors, as seen in this case. This incident aligns with “their” narrative—that machines are reliable, and errors are just human slips—dodging the deeper issue of systemic opacity.
Why Machines Fail Transparency
Machines are sold as fraud-proof, but the Wyoming case proves otherwise. When errors occur, clerks like Bartlett point to human mistakes, yet machines offer no clear audit trail for citizens to verify. Unlike hand counting, where every ballot is seen and tallied, machines lock votes behind screens. In fact, machines require hand audits to catch errors—why not skip the middleman and count by hand from the start?
Hand Counting: A Transparent Solution
Hand counting, as championed by Return to Hand Counting, offers what machines can’t: visibility. Our Missouri Method, tested in 2025, proved faster than machines, saving counties like yours $67,000 annually. Volunteers in St. Charles County tallied votes in minutes, catching errors machines miss. In Wyoming, where small counties value every dollar, hand counting is practical and fraud-proof—one bad ballot is a felony we can prove. Unlike machines, which hid Weston County’s errors, hand counting makes every step accountable.
Countering “Their” Narrative
“They” claim machines prevent fraud, yet incidents like Weston County’s show otherwise. This narrative—seen in labels like “election denier” or the reframing of the 2021 Stop the Steal Rally as “J6”—downplays machine flaws to maintain trust in tech. Hand counting sidesteps this spin, letting citizens see every vote. Our eManual teaches clerks and grassroots how to implement it simply and effectively. Read how we debunked their hand count myths in Hand Count Estimator results for Campbell County, WY.
Wyoming’s Opportunity
Weston County’s error is a chance for Wyoming to lead. Small counties, with tight-knit communities, are perfect for hand counting’s transparency. Our eManual provides step-by-step guides. Imagine Wyoming clerks adopting hand counting, saving costs, and rebuilding trust after incidents like this. With Lindell’s trial win reinforcing the need for paper ballots, now is the time to act.
Join the Hand Counting Mission
The Wyoming election error isn’t just a local story—it’s a national wake-up call. Machines hide mistakes; hand counting reveals truth. We’re empowering communities with tools like our eManual, which will help you learn how to bring transparency to your elections. Together, we can counter “their” narrative and ensure every vote is seen, counted, and trusted.
Edited with assistance from Grok3, an A.I. tool from xAI
Other library items:
Hand Count Estimator results for Campbell County, WY
Campbell County WY turnout statistics
Central Counting Location estimator for Campbell County, WY
Central Counting Location estimator for Campbell County, WY, showing square footage requirements
Percentage of registered voters needed to hand count an election
