A response to a letter published 10/26/2010 in the WTE was sent to the Editor last night:
“We must respond to Jean Bixby’s October 26th letter to set the record straight for the voters. Ms. Bixby gave a completely inaccurate and uniformed opinion of the Board of Equalization’s operations and Wendy Soto’s experience as Executive Secretary…”
See the full letter here — dated 10/27/2010.
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County candidates: Oil development, website could use some attention
Wyoming Tribune
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Clerk of District Court
Democratic candidate Wendy Soto emphasized her fresh perspective while longtime deputy clerk and Republican Sandy Landers touted her experience.
Gerrie Bishop is retiring at the end of the term in early January as Laramie County Clerk of Court.
“I do not want to walk in (Bishop’s) shoes — my feet are too big,” Landers said, and then laughed.
Landers indicated she wouldn’t be a Bishop clone. The two didn’t always agree and they have different managerial styles.
Landers said the office takes a special kind of customer care because the people who come in are almost always upset. Many are dealing with things like criminal matters and child support.
Soto said she has plenty of relevant experience: she’s worked as paralegal for attorneys and served as administrator of the state’s tax appeal court.
“Trust me, if people are upset about anything, it’s taxes,” Soto said. “I deal with a lot of people struggling with difficult issues themselves.”
She also pointed out that when Rita Meyer became state auditor, she had no experience as state auditor. And Dave Freudenthal was elected with no prior governor experience.
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Filed under Campaign, Cheyenne, District Court Clerk, Election, Information, Laramie County, Local election news, News, newspaper, Wyoming
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CHEYENNE — Already made your pick on who should be the next governor? Cast your ballot ahead of time, starting today.
That’s the way of nearly half of Laramie County voters, according to County Clerk Debbye Lathrop.
Absentee voting will be held the atrium of the Laramie County Governmental Complex, 309 W. 20th St.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The last day of absentee voting in the atrium is Nov. 1.
Voters can register anytime, on site and on Election Day.
Registered voters also can vote from home. Ballots must arrive at the Laramie County Clerk’s Office by 7 p.m. Nov. 2 to be counted.
Not sure if you’re a registered voter? No problem: In Wyoming, you can take care of that at the polls.
Those who are waiting until Election Day can find their polling place on the website of the Laramie County Clerk’s Office: www.laramiecountyclerk.com/elections.aspx.
Races this year for voters in Laramie County include two seats apiece on the Cheyenne City Council and Laramie County Commission. Voters also will decide if the commission should be expanded from three to five members.
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Filed under Campaign, Cheyenne, District Court Clerk, donate, Election, Laramie County, Local election news, newspaper, Wyoming
CHEYENNE — The retirement of 30-year veteran Laramie County Clerk of District Court Gerrie Bishop has opened the door for two candidates with a passion for records.
Democrat Wendy Soto and Republican Sandy Landers come to the table with resumes full of experience.
The clerk of district court is responsible for maintaining the records of all cases filed in the First Judicial District Court dating back to 1890. The clerk oversees the staff of the office, processes cases and court-ordered payments, as well as administrative appeals to the Wyoming Supreme Court.
Landers, a 38-year employee of the clerk’s office, currently serves as the chief deputy. She was appointed to the position in 1982 and carries out the responsibilities of the district court clerk when she is unavailable.
“I feel like I’ve served the public for 38 years, and I want to continue that in another capacity,” Landers said.
Soto said she hopes to bring her energy and experience to the office with a new perspective.
“I have always been a public servant in my career, and I’m very proud of that,” Soto said. “I’m the only candidate who can bring a fresh face and a diverse perspective.”
Soto currently serves as the executive secretary to the State Board of Equalization. In that capacity, she serves the clerk of court function for the state tax court.
Both women say they are ready to continue the technological progress the clerk’s office has made recently with the development of a statewide computer records system set to go live in 2012.
Landers serves on a committee with representatives from all 23 counties to take the best part of each district’s computer system and put it into one.
“We don’t want to go backward,” she said. “We’re trying to cover all the good aspects of the computer system.”
Soto said she built a similar system “from the ground up” at the Board of Equalization.
“My plan would be to work with the public servants who are already there working on the project and be able to contribute my experience and expertise,” she said.
If elected, Soto hopes to bring all the office’s stakeholders together to talk about what work works well and what could use improvement.
“I think it is wise as a new administrator to go and meet with the people who have been doing the work,” Soto said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for someone who is fiscally conservative to look at the budgets and evaluate that.”
Soto has worked in the legal field as a paralegal for private practice attorneys and is currently working on her master’s degree in public administration.
“I’m looking forward to serving the public in a greater capacity,” Soto said. “I think it’s a big responsibility.”
Landers said her time spent in the district court clerk’s office puts her a step above and would make the transition especially smooth.
“I feel like I’m the best candidate because I actually have hands-on experience,” she said. “I feel that matters a lot.”
Landers began her career in the clerk’s office when she was a 17-year-old bookkeeper. She has since worked in almost every capacity within the office.
“I don’t feel I could probably walk in Wendy’s shoes in her office,” Landers said. “With her not working here — I think it would be difficult for her to come in also.”
Soto said change is something she’s very accustomed to, but she understands that it can be difficult for people.
“My goal would be to have as open a door as possible for the staff and do what I can to put their minds at ease,” she said. “I have no intention of coming in and making wholesale changes without knowing or understanding how those changes would impact the workflow and the people who work there.”
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CHEYENNE – Democrat Wendy Soto will face Republican Sandy Landers in the Nov. 2 general election for the Laramie County Clerk of District Court’s seat.
Soto, who currently serves as the executive secretary for the State Board of Equalization, won the Democratic seat with 1,884 votes to Andrea Vosler-Reed’s 1,645 votes.
Vosler-Reed said Soto ran a good campaign and she “wish(es) her all the luck in the world.”
Tasos Kallas came in third with 424 votes. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Landers ran unopposed in the Republican race.
Soto said Vosler-Reed has been a great opponent, and she’s looking forward to the general election.
“I am very pleased with the turnout and very… (continued)
Be sure to check out the “Laramie County Clerk of District Court” section below! The following is directly from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle – Wyomingnews.com:
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Local Races
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Absentee voting begins 40 days prior to each election. For the convenience of Laramie County voters, the Clerk’s Office has an absentee polling place located in the Atrium of the Laramie County Governmental Complex, 309 W. 20th Street.
This polling place is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday for the 40-day period prior to the election. Voters wishing to cast an absentee ballot may visit this polling site or:
All absentee ballots must be received in the Clerk’s Office by 7:00 p.m. on the day of the Election to be counted.
Did you know that in order to vote absentee, you must be registered to vote?
Voters may register at the office of the County Clerk or any Town Clerk (Pine Bluffs, Albin, and Burns). To register to vote in Laramie County, a person must meet the following qualifications: see qualifications
Persons who meet the qualifications may also register to vote at the polls on Primary and General Election Days.
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Filed under Campaign, Cheyenne, District Court Clerk, donate, Election, Laramie County, Local election news, News, Wyoming
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Wendy Soto
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Wendy Soto for District Court Clerk 