By Associated Press - Tuesday, February 12, 2019

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming lawmakers have defeated a proposal to require county elected officials to reside in the counties they serve.

The proposal passed the House by a wide margin in January but failed on a 29-1 vote in the Senate on Monday.

The issue came up in Weston County last year, when attorney Alex Berger persuaded a judge to allow him to run for county attorney. Berger is from Campbell County and the Weston County clerk initially denied Berger’s candidacy application.

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The bill would have required officials including the county attorney, coroner, treasurer, commissioners and sheriff to be county residents for at least a year before the election.

Republican Sen. Cheri Steinmetz called the bill “a solution in search of a problem.” Her district includes Weston County.

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