What is the source of authority for counties and municipalities in Wyoming?

• A. Local governments derive authority from the state; they are subject to the state's constitution and laws.
• B. They are independent sovereigns with no state oversight.
• C. They derive authority from federal government.
• D. They derive authority from local tradition only.

Answer: (A)

Local governments in Wyoming are creatures of the state. Their authority comes from the Wyoming Constitution and state statutes, which grant counties and municipalities the powers they exercise and set the limits on how they operate. Because their powers are conferred by the state, they must act within constitutional and legal boundaries and can be altered or removed by the state through new laws or amendments. They are not independent sovereigns, and their authority does not come from the federal government or from local tradition alone. This relationship is why the correct understanding is that local governments derive their authority from the state and are subject to its constitution and laws.