The following Letters to the Editor appeared in the May 20, 2026 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
Privacy Engineering
Dear Editor
It is curious that many newspapers across Wyoming published articles criticizing Secretary Gray for sharing private election data with the Federal Government (data the feds already have access to) yet there has been little to no outcry over the fact that this same data receives no meaningful protection under Wyoming law, leaving the state and its citizens without adequate safeguards against potential government misuse. Meanwhile, if we are not 100% transparent and fully exposed, we are automatically presumed guilty or suspect in our dealings.
Wyoming is currently grappling with significant fraud challenges involving business filings, LLC abuse, deed and title fraud, and identity theft. The state also lacks sufficient safeguards and default policy for the protection of private data that it requires from residents and businesses. Wyoming’s business-friendly LLC laws, make it difficult for the state to distinguish between legitimate companies and shell entities. These anonymous LLCs are frequently used for money laundering, fraudulent schemes, and circumventing national security restrictions on land purchases.
Although the Legislature has enacted useful legal entity definitions regarding Principal Authority, specifically through the Digital Identity Act (W.S. Title 40, Chapter 30) and Section 8-1-102, these provisions do not go far enough. They are primarily oriented toward commercial code protections rather than robust personal privacy protections.
By adopting key principles from Utah’s SB-275 and by implementing Self-Sovereign State-Endorsed credentials, Wyoming can establish robust personal data privacy rights. These tools would effectively reduce fraud, lower liability for Wyoming Registered Agents as imposed by SF-82, support proof of control of anonymous LLC registries, and significantly decrease account risk for financial institutions.
This week, I’m submitting a legislative policy paper as public comment. It examines existing vulnerabilities in title and deed records, personal information privacy, voter rolls, and election processes, then proposes statutory and infrastructure reforms. The paper shows how these changes would eliminate title and deed fraud, protect personally identifiable information (PII) privacy rights, secure voter-roll data, strengthen election integrity, and make a fully digital voting system possible despite W.S. 22-1-102.
David Roland
Restoring the Republic Starts at Home
By Amber Hyde
Disclaimer: The following article is protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and reflect the author’s opinions based on publicly available, information and legislative proceedings.
America was never meant to be ruled by distant bureaucrats, unelected agencies, or career politicians insulated from the people they supposedly serve.
Our Founders created a constitutional republic built on local self-government, citizen participation, and accountability. Yet today, many Americans feel powerless while federal overreach grows and local governments increasingly answer to state and federal interests instead of the people.
That is why movements like Tactical Civics are gaining attention among conservatives across the country. At its core, Tactical Civics is about restoring civic duty, constitutional authority, and the role of the citizen in self-government. It challenges Americans to stop behaving like spectators and start acting like the sovereign people our Constitution intended us to be.
For too long, conservatives have focused almost entirely on national elections while neglecting the local systems where real power often exists. County governments, sheriffs, grand juries, and local officials have enormous influence over daily life. Yet many citizens could not name their county commissioners or explain the constitutional powers held at the county level. That ignorance has allowed government expansion to flourish unchecked.
Tactical Civics argues that constitutional checks and balances only work when citizens actively participate. The Founders did not envision a passive population waiting for Washington, D.C. or local Government to solve every problem. They envisioned communities capable of defending liberty themselves through local action, civic knowledge, and moral courage.
Critics often dismiss constitutional grassroots movements as unrealistic or extreme. But history tells a different story. The American Revolution itself was driven by ordinary citizens who believed centralized power had become abusive and unaccountable. The abolition movement, women’s suffrage, and the civil rights movement all succeeded because Americans organized locally before national change followed.
Conservatives should understand an important truth: liberty is not self-sustaining. Once citizens stop participating, power naturally concentrates into fewer hands. That is exactly what has happened across America over the past several decades.
Federal agencies regulate nearly every aspect of life, courts legislate from the bench, and local officials often avoid accountability altogether. Tactical Civics offers a reminder that the Constitution is not just a historical document—it is a blueprint for citizen responsibility. Freedom survives only when people are willing to defend it through peaceful civic engagement, informed participation, and local involvement.
America does not need more political celebrities. It needs citizens willing to attend county meetings, study the Constitution, question authority, and hold public officials accountable regardless of party affiliation.
The battle for liberty will not be won solely in Washington. It will be won—or lost—in counties, towns, and communities across America where citizens decide whether they still believe self-government is worth preserving.
