Another Weston County clerk resigns — this time 3 weeks before an election

Weston County Clerk Michael Tooman resigned Tuesday, three weeks before the primary election and less than two months after a district court judge appointed him to the position. “I was becoming a focal point for questioning the validity of the election, and we badly need a good election in Weston County,” Tooman told WyoFile on Tuesday. “And so I just removed myself.” The clerk’s office in Newcastle has been under a significant strain since 2024, when former clerk Becky Hadlock caused an initial ballot miscount that sparked public outcry , a legislative subpoena, several investigations and multiple criminal charges. Hadlock resigned in April , one day after she was arrested and charged with two felonies related to her conduct during and after the 2024 general election. In May, Hadlock reached an agreement with prosecutors that reduced one felony to a misdemeanor and dismissed the second charge in exchange for a guilty plea. The deal helped her avoid any jail time . That process, however, was also not without controversy.

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