CASPER, Wyo. — As the Aug. 18 primary election approaches, Oil City News is introducing candidate questionnaires to help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box.

Every candidate in the primary field was sent the same three questions and given a limit of 500 words, which could be distributed among their answers as they saw fit. To ensure a fair and direct line to the community, all responses are published exactly as submitted, without edits or alterations.

Candidates were asked:

• What are the most crucial challenges your constituents are facing?
• If elected, how will you address these challenges?
• What qualities or qualifications do you possess that have prepared you to meet these challenges?

Questionnaires are being published on a rolling basis online through Aug. 11. They will be accessible via the Oil City News Election Tracker.

Additionally, Oil City News will mail a comprehensive print voters guide directly to all Natrona County households in mid-July, featuring all questionnaires received by July 6.

Betsy Erickson (D), Wyoming House District 37

What are the most crucial challenges your constituents are facing?

The people I have spoken with have raised l concerns about the direction of our state. Many have expressed frustration with challenges in education, threats to personal freedoms, and the ongoing discussions about selling or transferring public lands. I’ve heard concerns about the Legislature’s decisions regarding SNAP, Wyoming’s refusal to participate in the SunBucks program, and continued attacks on the University of Wyoming. Ultimately, people want to know that their voices are being heard and that their elected officials are working to build a stronger Wyoming for everyone.

If elected, how will you address these challenges?

I would address challenges by continuing to listen to the people of House District 37, and beyond, and engaging in honest conversations, even when those conversations are difficult. Open dialogue is how we build trust, find common ground, and develop solutions that work for Wyoming communities. We must keep Wyoming’s future at the forefront of every decision we make.

With education, we need to have serious conversations about sustainable funding models that ensure Educational Support Personnel and counselors remain adequately funded. We must also find ways to make these positions more attractive so that schools can recruit and retain the staff students need to succeed.  On issues of personal freedom, I will be guided by Wyoming’s Constitution and by the principle that government exists to protect individual liberties, not dictate individual outcomes. I stand firmly against efforts to transfer or sell public lands and support policies that keep public lands in public hands for future generations.

I am deeply concerned about the number of young people leaving our state in search of opportunities elsewhere. We need a thriving University, workforce development programs, and economic policies that encourage new industries and good-paying jobs. We should be building a Wyoming where people can afford to stay, build careers, raise families, and contribute to their communities for generations to come.

What qualities/qualifications do you possess that have prepared you to meet these challenges?

I hold a master’s degree in education, which has given me both the academic background and practical experience to understand that good policy requires balancing best practices with the resources available to implement them. For ten years, I worked as a preschool teacher, and for two of those years, I operated a licensed preschool in my home. This, paired with being a mother of young children, has given me a firsthand understanding of the challenges families face in raising them.

I volunteer with the Casper Unity and Solidarity Project, helping provide mutual aid and direct support to members of our community. Through volunteer work, I have seen where local systems serve people well and where gaps leave families struggling to access the help they need.  I also serve on the Natrona County Historic Preservation Commission and was the president of the Woods Learning Center Parent-Teacher Co-op.

When tied together, these experiences have shaped my approach to public service: listening first, focusing on practical solutions, and working to ensure that families have the opportunities and support they need to thrive.

Related

For centuries, Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming has been an iconic destination in the American West. 

As the nation’s 250th birthday approaches, consider a trip to see the park and other Wyoming historic sites for yourself, and when you do, follow these tips to make the most of your experience. 

USA 250 Most Treasured Views is a USA TODAY Network project exploring places across America with historical and cultural significance, created in celebration of the USA 250 initiative marking the nation’s 250th birthday.

The abundant wildlife and natural beauty of Grand Teton have lured people for generations. And in America’s 19th century western expansion, the largest mountain in the Teton Range was too alluring for explorers to pass.

Over the next century, explorers mapped and studied the terrain, while settlers made it an important trading outpost.

As the fur trade dried up and the soil proved too rocky for most to farm, the area became a hot spot of “dude ranching,” thriving by letting people sample Western life. 

With more than 300,000 acres in Grand Teton National Park, you have almost every outdoor activity imaginable available — camping, floating on the Snake River, nature hikes, rock climbing, fishing, boating, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are just the beginning.

Ranger and expert-led activities include snowshoeing groups, conservation talks, interpretive walks and more. 

Read here for more details to help plan your trip.

More: Order our Most Treasured Views coffee table book

Amber Roldan covers trending news for the Coloradoan.