WyoFile

ELECTION GUIDE 2026

Wyoming's candidates for federal, statewide and legislative offices.

Last update: Aug 1, 2026 - 12:42 PM
Melissa Butcher
Wyoming Republican Candidate/ WY Senate District 21

Melissa Butcher

Candidate Status: ➡️ Active

Active candidates for WY Senate District 21

On the Issues

The answers below were solicited from candidates via a written questionnaire created by WyoFile reporters and editors in June 2026. Responses are presented exactly as submitted, without fact-checking, wordsmithing or editing for grammar, punctuation or spelling errors.

Legislative candidates were invited to respond to the questionnaire several times by email and by phone. Out of fairness to the candidates who met the deadline, WyoFile will not add responses after the guide's publication.

Where do you live currently? How long have you lived there? How long have you lived in Wyoming? Where were you born?

My husband and I have lived just outside Dayton, Wyoming for the past 20 years. I was born in Sheridan and have spent most of my life in Wyoming. Aside from six years in Oregon and Washington immediately after college, I have lived, worked, and built businesses in Wyoming for more than three decades.

What age will you be on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026?

58

Please tell the voters about yourself including your background and qualifications.

I attended Casper College, the University of Oregon and Trend Business College. My professional background includes service in both the public and private sectors. After college I worked as a legal assistant in Washington State. Since returning to Wyoming in 1995 I have worked as the administrative services manager for the Central Wyoming Regional Water System, a public involvement specialist for the Wyoming Department of Transportation, executive director of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce, and for more than 30 years as a public process facilitator helping communities navigate complex issues and long-range planning. My husband and I own and operate businesses in Sheridan County, including Innominate Coffeehouse & Bakery and the Lazy R Campground in Ranchester, and The Outpost in Sheridan. We previously owned and operated a sporting goods store in Ranchester that sold hunting and fishing supplies. Over the years I have served on several nonprofit boards in Sheridan County.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing Wyoming today? As a legislator, how would you address them?

Wyoming's biggest challenge is keeping the promise of Wyoming within reach for the next generation. Families are facing rising property taxes, healthcare costs, housing pressures, workforce shortages, and concerns about long-term economic stability. At the same time, Wyoming has tremendous opportunities in energy, agriculture, tourism, entrepreneurship, and emerging industries.

As a legislator, I would focus on practical conservative solutions: disciplined budgeting, responsible tax relief, strong infrastructure, workforce development, and policies that support local communities rather than imposing one-size-fits-all mandates from Cheyenne. My career has been spent helping people work through difficult decisions and find common ground. I believe government works best when it listens carefully, solves real problems, and measures success by results rather than rhetoric.

We asked WyoFile readers to rank issues that are important to them, and healthcare costs and access topped the list. What can the Legislature do to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to Wyomingites?

Healthcare affordability and access are major concerns across Wyoming, especially in rural communities where provider shortages and long travel distances can make care difficult to obtain. The Legislature should focus on strengthening rural hospitals and clinics, expanding telehealth, reducing barriers to recruiting healthcare professionals, and exploring ways to make insurance more affordable for working families and small businesses.

I also believe Wyoming should have an honest, fact-based discussion Wyoming-specific alternatives to Medicaid expansion. The question should not be ideological. It should be whether a policy improves access, supports rural healthcare systems, encourages work and personal responsibility, and delivers value for Wyoming taxpayers.

Do you support efforts to sell or transfer public land in Wyoming? How do you plan to ensure that state and federal land is managed in the best interest of the people of Wyoming?

I do not support broad efforts to sell or transfer Wyoming's public lands. Public lands are an important part of our economy, outdoor heritage, and way of life. They support grazing, hunting, fishing, recreation, wildlife habitat, and responsible energy development.

That does not mean federal management is always effective. Wyoming should continue pushing for greater local input, responsible multiple-use management, improved access, and decisions that reflect the needs of the people who live and work closest to the land. My goal is to keep public lands productive, accessible, and available for future generations while ensuring Wyoming communities have a meaningful voice in how they are managed.

No two Wyoming counties are the same when it comes to how they generate revenue. As a legislator, how would you approach the public's desire for property tax relief with local revenue needs?

Property tax relief is necessary. Many Wyoming homeowners, especially seniors and families on fixed incomes, have seen tax bills rise faster than their ability to pay. People should not be taxed out of homes they worked hard to own.

At the same time, property taxes help fund many of the things that make Wyoming communities strong: local schools, roads, fire protection, law enforcement, hospitals, senior services, libraries, and other essential services. Strong communities don't happen by accident, and neither do the services that support them.

I support property tax relief that is targeted, sustainable, and honest about its impacts. That means focusing relief on primary residences, protecting those most at risk of being priced out of their homes, and recognizing the varying needs of different counties. The goal should be to provide meaningful relief without simply shifting costs elsewhere or undermining the local services that families and businesses depend on every day.

What role, if any, should the Wyoming Legislature play in economic development?

Economic development is not about government creating prosperity. It is about creating the conditions that allow people, businesses, and communities to succeed.

The Legislature's role is to provide stability: responsible budgeting, predictable tax policy, reliable infrastructure, quality education, workforce development, and a regulatory environment that is fair and consistent. When those fundamentals are in place, Wyoming people and Wyoming businesses do what they have always done—innovate, invest, and build.

For me, economic development is ultimately about opportunity. Can a young person graduating from high school or college find a future here? Can a family afford to stay and put down roots? Can a small business owner invest with confidence? Can a community remain vibrant as it grows?

The goal is a Wyoming where hard work pays off, where people can build a life, and where our communities remain strong for generations to come.

Explain your values when it comes to campaign donations. Does Wyoming's system for monitoring campaign donations and expenditures need reform?

Campaign donations should never buy influence. My responsibility is to the people of Senate District 21, not to any donor or political organization.

I believe voters deserve transparency about who is funding campaigns and political advertising, especially when outside groups are involved. Wyoming's reporting system should be easy to access, easy to understand, and timely enough to help voters make informed decisions before they cast their ballots. I would support practical reforms that improve transparency and public confidence while protecting citizens' right to participate in the political process.

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About this Project

WyoFile produced this guide with coding and web development by Thomas Musselman, editing by Tennessee Watson and production assistance by Calla Shosh. Contact Tennessee Watson with questions, corrections or suggestions at tennessee@wyofile.com.

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