A Wyoming district court judge has resolved a prolonged vacancy in Weston County government by appointing James Michael Tooman as county clerk, stepping in after the board of county commissioners was unable to reach agreement on a replacement through its own process.
Why It Matters
County clerk offices carry responsibility for election administration, record-keeping, and other core government functions. When a vacancy goes unfilled, it creates uncertainty for both county operations and voters. The Weston County situation illustrates how procedural deadlocks at the local level can escalate to judicial intervention — a relatively uncommon outcome in Wyoming county government.
What Happened
The vacancy in Weston County arose after commissioners were unable to agree on a new clerk. At a May 5 meeting, commissioners interviewed three candidates — Tooman, Patricia Baumann, and Stanley Jasinski — all of whom had been nominated by the Weston County Republican Party. The session ended without an appointment: motions to name both Jasinski and Tooman died without a second, and a motion to appoint Baumann failed on a 1-2 vote.
With the board unable to act, the matter moved to District Court Judge Matthew F.G. Castano. A public hearing was held June 4 at the Weston County Courthouse, where five individuals offered testimony. The four candidates — Tooman, Baumann, Jasinski, and interim clerk Amber Green — each addressed the court. Republican Party Chairwoman Kari Drost, who had filed the petition bringing the matter before the court, also testified.
Following the hearing, Judge Castano appointed Tooman to fill the position. Tooman will serve until a successor is elected and sworn in after the next general election. The judge characterized the case as one that came to him through the failure of the normal appointment process, noting that deciding it was simply his duty.
“We don’t go looking for cases,” Judge Castano said. “This case came to me, and it’s my duty to decide it.”
By the Numbers
- 3 — candidates interviewed by commissioners on May 5
- 1-2 — vote result on the motion to appoint Baumann, the only motion that received a second
- 5 — individuals who testified at the June 4 courthouse hearing
- 17 years — length of time Tooman served as an election judge prior to his appointment
Who Is James Michael Tooman
Tooman brings a professional background in both technology and election administration. He has worked as a senior systems architect and spent 17 years serving as an election judge in the county — experience that likely weighed in his favor during the court’s deliberations. During testimony, he signaled openness to adjusting his approach to the clerk’s responsibilities, saying, “I think I can support changing that,” in response to questions about office operations.
Zoom Out
Disputes over local government vacancies are not unique to Wyoming. Across the Mountain West, small-county commissioner boards have periodically struggled to fill appointed positions, particularly in jurisdictions with closely divided or ideologically fragmented local governments. When those boards deadlock, state law in many jurisdictions provides for judicial appointment as a backstop — though it is rarely invoked.
Wyoming has seen increased attention to county-level governance in recent years, particularly around election administration. For more on state and local developments in Wyoming, see the Wyoming Roundup covering ICE transfers in Teton County, a campaign sign dispute, and a new classical school proposal.
What’s Next
Tooman is now the sitting Weston County clerk and will manage the office’s day-to-day responsibilities, including election oversight, until voters choose a successor at the next general election and that person takes office. Whether any of the other candidates who appeared at the June 4 hearing will seek election to the seat through the ballot remains to be seen. The appointment closes a chapter that began with a commissioners’ deadlock and ended with an unusual but legally available resolution through the district court.