John Wetzel

Troy Bray

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City of Powell voters generally stuck with the status quo in the general election, reelecting Mayor John Wetzel, Ward 1 Councilman Geoff Hovivian and Ward 2 Councilman Floyd Young. But they opted for a shakeup in Ward 3, picking challenger Troy Bray over longtime Councilwoman Lesli Spencer. 

After trailing in August’s primary election, Bray received 403 votes (53.6%) in the general to oust Spencer, who had 347 votes (46.1%). Best known for his conservative activism, Bray has pledged to bring a fresh — and critical — perspective to the council. He wants to dig into the Powell Police Department’s policies to ensure rights are being upheld, put more of a focus on maintaining infrastructure and push the city to collect fewer property taxes.

“I made the promise that at every meeting, I will ask for a 1 mill reduction in property taxes for the city, and I’m definitely going to be doing that,” Bray said Wednesday, referring to a change that would lower the average homeowner’s annual tax bill by roughly $40.

“I don’t know how much traction that’ll get initially,” Bray said, “but eventually, I’ll get it.”

Of course, when he’s sworn into office in January, Bray will remain just one of seven voices on the council. Hovivian and Young cruised to reelection after drawing no opponents, while Wetzel received 1,333 votes (52.1%) to turn back a challenge from contractor Kade Richmond (1,210 votes, 47.3%). The incumbent won in all three wards.

Wetzel has served as mayor since 2017 and said he’s “excited to be elected to work four more years and keep the city rolling forward.”

“It was good to see a solid turnout, and I appreciate the confidence of the voters,” he said Wednesday.

Asked about Spencer’s loss in Ward 3, Wetzel said he was sad to see her go, saying she “did a lot of great things for the city.”

“She was a really good, steady voice for her constituents, and thoughtful and conscientious in all the things she did,” Wetzel said.

Spencer, who joined the council in 2015, will wrap up her term at the end of December. She said she hopes Bray “represents our ward as they choose to be represented, and I wish him the best of luck.”

Spencer took an approach of “if it’s meant to be, it’ll be” this election season, doing no visible campaigning. Asked Wednesday if she wished she’d done more, Spencer said she didn’t think so.

After being in office for a decade, “I’m excited that there was someone else that wanted to step up,” she said. “I think that’s important — that our local government has competition … so that more people are involved.

“I think that’s a good thing,” Spencer said.

As for Richmond, the mayoral runner-up said he was “just fine” with the results — offering thanks to his supporters and congratulations to Wetzel.

“I was really happy with how many people came and voted this year, and I was really happy in the way the presidential election turned out,” Richmond said, pledging to continue flying Trump flags on his truck.

He had called for changes to the city, including more of an emphasis on infrastructure, and noted “it doesn’t take me being mayor for those things to happen.”

Both Richmond and Bray had been endorsed by local conservative groups, and Richmond said he thinks Bray can bring a needed perspective to the council.

Tuesday’s results mark the start of a new political chapter for Bray, who finished fourth in a four-way race for the state House two years ago and faced widespread criticism in 2021 for a vulgar email.

Bray campaigned hard for the Ward 3 seat, which represents Powell’s entire south side, plus portions of the north side between Division and Jones streets, generally stopping at Third Street. Bray went door-to-door and engaged potential voters all the way through the eve of the election.

“This is Wyoming,” he said. “They expect to see their governor at their door, you know?” 

Bray said he heard a lot of concerns about national issues, but also about property taxes and “a more responsive city government.

“I think mostly people just want to see responsibility,” he said.

The City of Cody, meanwhile, is undergoing a bigger shakeup, as three incumbent council members and Mayor Matt Hall didn’t seek reelection. Cody voters overwhelmingly elected current Councilwoman Lee Ann Reiter as their next mayor, and selected Jeremy Laing, Tim McIsaac and Joanna Settineri as new council members.

Reiter is midway through her council term, so the body will also have to pick a replacement for her early next year.