Mary Throne

Mary Throne

Nonpartisan

Wyoming Public Service Commission

Tenure

2019 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

5

Predecessor

Robin Sessions Cooley

Prior offices

Wyoming House of Representatives District 11

Successor: Jared Olsen

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Compensation

Base salary

$123,692

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 6, 2018

Appointed

2019

Education

Bachelor's

Princeton University, 1982

Law

Columbia Law School, 1988

Personal

Religion

Christian: Presbyterian

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Mary Throne is a member of the Wyoming Public Service Commission. She assumed office in 2019. Her current term ends on March 1, 2027.

Throne (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Wyoming. She lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.

Throne completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.

Throne is a former Democratic member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, representing District 11 from 2007 to 2017. During the 2013-2014 session, Throne served as the Minority Floor Leader; she served as Minority Whip from 2010 to 2012.

Biography

Throne earned her B.A. in history from Princeton University in 1982. She went on to receive her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1988. She is an attorney.

Committee assignments

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Throne served on the following committees:

Wyoming committee assignments, 2015
• Joint Education
• Joint Rules and Procedure
• Education
• Rules and Procedure

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Throne served on the following committees:

Wyoming committee assignments, 2013
• Labor, Health and Social Services
• Rules and Procedure
• Joint Labor, Health and Social Services
• Joint Rules and Procedure

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Throne served on the following committees:

Wyoming committee assignments, 2011
• Judiciary
• Joint Judiciary
• Rules and Procedure
• Joint Rules and Procedure

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Throne served on the following committees:

Wyoming committee assignments, 2009
• Judiciary
• Rules and Procedure

Political career

Wyoming Public Service Commission (2019 - present)

Throne has served on the Wyoming Public Service Commission since March 1, 2019.

Wyoming House of Representatives (2007-2017)

Throne is a former Democratic member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, representing District 11 from 2007 to 2017. During the 2013-2014 session, Throne served as the Minority Floor Leader; she served as Minority Whip from 2010 to 2012.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2018

See also: Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of Wyoming

Mark Gordon defeated Mary Throne, Rex Rammell, and Lawrence Gerard Struempf in the general election for Governor of Wyoming on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Gordon (R)	67.1	136,412
		Mary Throne (D)	27.5	55,965
		Rex Rammell (Constitution Party)	3.3	6,751
		Lawrence Gerard Struempf (L)	1.5	3,010
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	1,100

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 203,238
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Wyoming

Mary Throne defeated Michael Allen Green, Ken Casner, and Rex Wilde in the Democratic primary for Governor of Wyoming on August 21, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mary Throne	72.9	12,948
		Michael Allen Green	13.5	2,391
		Ken Casner	6.8	1,213
		Rex Wilde	6.8	1,201

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 17,753
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Wyoming

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Wyoming on August 21, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Gordon	33.4	38,951
		Foster Friess	25.6	29,842
		Harriet Hageman	21.5	25,052
		Sam Galeotos	12.5	14,554
		Taylor Haynes	5.6	6,511
		Bill Dahlin	1.5	1,763

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 116,673
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 16, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 27, 2016.

Jared Olsen defeated incumbent Mary Throne in the Wyoming House of Representatives District 11 general election.

Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Jared Olsen	51.02%	1,549
	Democratic	Mary Throne Incumbent	48.98%	1,487
Total Votes				3,036
Source: Wyoming Secretary of State

Incumbent Mary Throne ran unopposed in the Wyoming House of Representatives District 11 Democratic primary.

Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Democratic	Mary Throne Incumbent (unopposed)

Jared Olsen ran unopposed in the Wyoming House of Representatives District 11 Republican primary.

Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11 Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Republican	Jared Olsen  (unopposed)

2014

See also: Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Wyoming House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 19, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 30, 2014. Incumbent Mary Throne was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Phil Regeski was unopposed in the Republican primary. Throne defeated Regeski in the general election.

Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11, General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Mary Throne Incumbent	55.9%	1,093
	Republican	Phil Regeski	44.1%	863
Total Votes				1,956
Source: Wyoming Secretary of State

2012

See also: Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2012

Throne won re-election in the 2012 election for the Wyoming House of Representatives District 11. She was unopposed in the Democratic primary on August 21 and defeated Jerry Zellars (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012. The general election is on November 6, 2012.

Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Mary Throne Incumbent	56.5%	1,727
	Republican	Jerry Zellars	43.3%	1,324
	Write-Ins	Various	0.2%	5
Total Votes				3,056

2010

See also: Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2010

Throne was re-elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11. She was unopposed in the November 2, 2010 general election. She was unopposed in the August 17, 2010, primary.

Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11, General election (2010)
Candidates		Votes
Mary Throne (D)		11,559

Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11 Democratic Primary (2010)
Candidates		Votes
Mary A. Throne (D)		386

Appointments

2019

Throne was appointed to the Wyoming Public Service Commission by Gov. Mark Gordon on February 20, 2019.

Campaign themes

2018

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Mary Throne completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Throne's responses.

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

First, we've got to expand Medicaid. It's an easy way to help 20,000 Wyomingites get healthcare, lower premium costs for those who already have insurance, and help stabilize our rural healthcare providers. Second, we need to protect our public education system, both k-12 and college. All too often, when the price of oil drops, the state legislature slashes education funding. Wyoming's founders gave us a constitutional obligation to fund education for every child in the state, and it's outrageous to see politicians balancing the budget on the backs of our children. Third, I want to protect our public lands. They are our heritage, and I oppose efforts to privatize them or transfer them to the state. Our public lands drive our major industries, from tourism to agriculture and energy; and they make Wyoming the sort of place that I love living in. Whether going hunting, hiking, biking, rock climbing, or birdwatching, our public lands provide unparalleled recreation opportunities.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

From a personal perspective, healthcare is one of my top issues. I always had great health growing up, and then at the age of 52, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the fight of my life, and a scary reminder that if I hadn't had insurance, I'm not sure I'd be here now. I had always supported fighting to make healthcare available and affordable, but being a cancer survivor reinforced the need to fight to protect those with pre-existing conditions.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Nellie Tayloe Ross, a Wyomingite and the first woman to be elected governor.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I've always admired the Al Simpson quote "Truth telling is the essence of leadership."

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The best of Wyoming politics is when we can debate the issues, rather than debating each other--a skill many in Washington DC seem to have forgotten. We can disagree with each other, but remain civil. When I served in the legislature, I quickly learned that some of my biggest opponents on one bill might be my staunchest allies two weeks later on a different bill. Being able to reach across the aisle and work with anyone is one of the reasons I was such an effective legislator--the majority of bills that I passed had more Republican votes than Democratic votes.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

First, I have a deep knowledge of the state's energy industry from my decades working as a regulatory attorney. No one is more prepared to face the current economic bust. Second, I spent ten years in the legislature, four of them as Minority Leader. Our next governor needs to be able to work with the legislature on day one to tackle the big problems we face, from education funding to healthcare, and more. As one of the most productive legislators, I was able to work across the aisle to build coalitions and find solutions.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

First, manage the executive agencies and run the state. That sounds simple, but it takes a deep knowledge of state agencies and ability to manage large staffs across multiple departments. Second, push forward your legislative agenda. For me, that includes Medicaid expansion, regulatory reform, broadening the revenue sources, and more. Third, serve as a leader and a cheerleader for the state. In bad times, that means serving as a moral beacon for the state, to uplift and inspire. In good times, that means encouraging tourism and business development. There's more of course--sitting on the SLIB board, appointing judges and cabinet officials--but this question has a word limit.

What legacy would you like to leave?

After eight years in office, I hope to leave Wyoming with a stable education funding system that can survive the ups and downs of the energy industry; expanded Medicaid and lower healthcare prices; and a diverse and growing economy. Wyoming can be more than a boom and bust state, but we need to try something new.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Working on the family ranch, which I did in various ways from when I was old enough to walk until I left home after college.

What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?

I have a painting of Nellie Tayloe Ross, the nation's first female governor.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Mary Throne campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2014	Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11	Won	$23,505	N/A**
2012	Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11	Won	$20,842	N/A**
2010	Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11	Won	$8,325	N/A**
2008	Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11	Won	$7,434	N/A**
2006	Wyoming House of Representatives, District 11	Won	$21,759	N/A**
Grand total			$81,865	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Wyoming

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Wyoming scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].

2017

In 2017, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from January 10 through March 3.

• The American Conservative Union

Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

• Wyoming Liberty Index

Legislators are scored by the Wyoming Liberty Index on "whether they support or inhibit liberty."

2016

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show].
In 2016, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from February 8 through March 4. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. Wyoming Liberty Index Legislators are scored by the Wyoming Liberty Index on "whether they support or inhibit liberty."

2015

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show].
In 2015, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from January 13 to March 12. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. Liberty Index Legislators are scored by the Wyoming Liberty Index on "whether they support or inhibit liberty."

2014

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show].
In 2014, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from February 10 through March 7. Wyoming Liberty Index Legislators are scored by the Wyoming Liberty Index on "whether they support or inhibit liberty."

2013

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show].
In 2013, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from January 8 to February 27. Wyoming Liberty Index Legislators are scored by the Wyoming Liberty Index on "whether they support or inhibit liberty."

2012

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show].
In 2012, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from February 13 through March 9. Wyoming Liberty Index Legislators are scored by the Wyoming Liberty Index on "whether they support or inhibit liberty."

2011

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show].
In 2011, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from January 11 through March 3. Wyoming Conservation Voters Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.

Wyoming Liberty Index

The Wyoming Liberty Index, a study created in 2003, issues a Scorecard that rates all final bills in the Wyoming State Legislature on whether the bills supported or hindered liberty. Legislators are also given a "liberty score" based on their voting patterns. The Wyoming Liberty Index 2012 report was issued on the 61st Legislature during the 2012 budget session. Scores range from the highest score (100%) to the lowest (0%). A higher score indicates a higher level of "aye" votes on bills considered pro-liberty and "nay" votes on what the organization considers anti-liberty bills. Throne received a score of 9% in the 2012 scorecard, ranking 61st out of 61 members of the Wyoming House of Representatives. Although there are 60 members of the House, a 61st "hypothetical legislator" voting nay on every bill was also included.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Throne and her husband, Kevin Boyce, have three children.

External links

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Governor of Wyoming

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Robin Sessions Cooley	Wyoming Public Service Commission 2019-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Wyoming House of Representatives District 11 2007-2017	Succeeded by Jared Olsen (R)