Aug 13, 2026
Statewide poll administered by Keep It Public, Wyoming, shows Wyomingites want public lands in public hands.
A recent statewide poll from Keep It Public, Wyoming, found that 91% of Wyoming voters oppose selling off public lands.
This opposition spanned personal backgrounds, political affiliations, and geographic locations, and included almost all Republican voters polled, 91% of whom support current multiple-use management practices over sell-off.
The same poll found that 79% of voters are less likely to support an elected official who backs selling off our public lands, and that public lands rank just behind inflation and the cost of living among the issues Wyoming residents care about most - understandable given that more than nine out of ten voters said they or someone in their household hunts, fishes, or recreates on public lands.
In short: the data clearly proves that Wyomingites stand united against sell-offs and the irreversible loss of public wildlands that inevitably follow.
“Opposition to public lands sell-offs cuts heavily across political lines, bringing together outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, ranchers, local business leaders, and conservationists across Wyoming,” said Cygnal Senior Partner and Pollster Chris Lane. “In surveys across the West, we are increasingly seeing that voters across the spectrum are backing keeping public lands public, because they know once they are gone, they are gone for good.”
“When it comes to our public lands, the message from Wyoming is resounding: public lands belong in public hands,” said Lauren Heerschap, owner of Brunton in Riverton and a leader of the Keep It Public, Wyoming coalition. “These days, when it feels like so few things unite us, it’s not surprising to me that public lands do. So many Wyomingites turn to the outdoors for a wide variety of reasons — for hunting, fishing, backpacking, off-roading. Public lands are our Wyoming way of life.”
"When Wyomingites rallied to voice their support earlier this year for SJ9, its passage stood as a stunning rebuke to previous sell-off efforts and a testament to how powerful we can be when we rally together for the sake of our public lands," said Wyoming Wilderness Association (WWA) Executive Director Aaron Bannon and Keep It Public, Wyoming, Steering Committee member. "This new poll data is further proof that protecting our state's public wildlands remains top of mind for Wyomingites - and that our shared commitment to the places were we recreate, where habitat is preserved, where our clean air and water are stored, where tribes have been stewarding the land for time immemorial, is irrefutably strong."
For full press release, complete poll results, and data analysis, visit the Keep It Public, Wyoming, website: https://keepitpublicwyo.com/polling