PHOTOS: Casper Poll Sites Show Democracy in Action
If there was one word to describe the voting process in Casper on Tuesday, it is 'Steady.'
That's what election officials at both the Wyoming Game & Fish headquarters, and the Natrona County Public Library said Tuesday afternoon.
"It's been a big turnout," said Election Judge Amy Gerlock, who presided over the Wyoming Game & Fish Department. "Very steady. A very steady flow. There was not a peaceful moment all morning. We've had a couple little lulls, but we've been busy all day."
It was the same scene at the Natrona County Public Library, according to Election Judge Iris Tiemersma.
"It's been steady," she stated. "It hasn't been crazy by any means, but we're just one district here at the library."
Tiemersma wasn't even scheduled to be there, but she got asked to cover for a different election coordinator who was out on vacation. She was also an election judge at the primary election, and she was happy to come back for round two.
"I have been more involved in politics and I've just been paying a little bit better attention ever since COVID and the vaccine mandates," she stated.
Tiemersma said that she believes everybody should come out and vote, if they have the means.
"It's huge," she said. "It makes a huge difference. Come out and vote. Your vote matters."
Gerlock said that throughout the day Wednesday, she saw multiple people come in to cast their vote.
"It's very encouraging to see, because it means people are paying attention and taking advantage of their civic duty," she stated.
Gerlock also touched on a topic that has been much talked about since the 2020 presidential election, that of voter fraud.
"I think it's noteworthy to say that everybody that comes in, when we ask for their ID - they thank us for asking for their ID. It's a really appreciated thing," Gerlock said.
Teresa Linden-Wadley certainly appreciated being asked for her ID when she showed up to vote.
"I mean, you have to show ID to buy cigarettes or beer, why do you not have to show ID to get to vote?" she asked. "I just think it's common sense."
Gerlock agreed.
"[Asking for ID's] is such a celebrated thing here where, in a lot of states, it would be probably antagonistic to ask for your ID," Gerlock said.
"That's just cause they're woke idiots," Linden-Wadley replied.
When asked about whether her opinion came as a result of the 2020 election, and whether she believe voter fraud took place, Linden-Wadley replied in the affirmative.
"Absolutely," she said. "If you want the calculations and stuff, when they were voting...let's say in the election...Trump was ahead by so many points and then, all of a sudden, all those points disappeared and ended up in Biden's, and it was the same exact number. And then you have the news showing reports that you're having dead people registered to vote and cast absentee ballots. Of course they're absent; they're dead. To me, it's like, you've got to come and show ID. I'm a living, breathing, human being. I have active cells, living cells, and I can prove to you that I am who I say that I am."
Linden-Wadley continued, stating that providing ID in order to vote is "a sense of accountability and it just beeps everybody honest, because we don't have a lot of that anymore nowadays. It's extremely important; if we can help try to keep everybody on that honest path, let's do it. And if you want to complain about it, then what are you really trying to hide?"
When asked if she had anything else to add, Linden-Wadley replied simply, "Go Republicans!"
Gerlock had a bit of a different message, however; one that summed up the entire electoral process.
"I think that America in general needs to appreciate how special it is to be able to vote," Gerlock said. "We have the freedom to do that and it's important to understand that the people are the United States. It's not the ones on the ballot that make us up; it's the voters."