The silent majority rules by staying quiet

At a recent Basin Town Council meeting Mayor CJ Duncan made a valid point about the silent majority. Because they stay quiet, decisions are made that impact us all. 

During a discussion about a subdivision request, he pointed out that the council/town only heard from about 10 percent of the voting residents within town limits. Those 10 percent are against the subdivision and the potential buyer for a portion of the subdivision. He followed up that it has been said that most of the people in the town don’t want the potential buyer of the land as a business in town. 

While the statement that most people in town don’t want the store could be true, 10 percent is not the majority, nor was there a majority voicing they wanted the store. By staying quiet and not voicing an opinion either way, those silent people ruled.

I agree with Duncan that most of the people who reached out to me were not for the store. Yet only a handful came to council meetings, contacted the town, signed a petition, etc. The town didn’t have a documented majority asking them to say no. The vote at this council meeting was to grant the subdivision request, thus giving the landowner the right to subdivide. Should the sale of the property move forward, the town council will review the request of the potential buyer to build. Wonder if the majority of the town will step up now to let the town know how they feel either way or will the silent majority rule again. 

The same argument can be used about elections. Because voter turnout in 2024 was so low, the “majority” of the people in Wyoming won in a way by staying quiet on state and local elections. In Big Horn County only 54 percent of people voted compared to 71 percent in the 2022 primary election. While technically 54 percent would be considered a majority when compared to the 46 percent that didn’t vote, it sure isn’t a solid majority. 

Recent stats show that as of July 1 only 271,879 people are registered to vote in Wyoming according to Wyoming Secretary of State’s office. There were 296,703 in 2025. 

As I’ve written before about the primary election, if you don’t vote, you’re letting someone else order your meal. You must dine in the general election on what they ordered for you in primary. 

If you don’t vote, we all lose.