It has been rather quiet on the political front in Wyoming this month.

That’s not too surprising, given the state’s political makeup. Everybody knows that most of the Republican candidates will be voted in November, so why get excited about it.

That’s too bad really, and not only because Republicans will keep their stranglehold on our civic affairs because there are so many uncontested races for our state offices and local seats.

If there were a few more Democrats, the pachyderm party would still win most of the races, but the political scene would be a lot more fun to watch, and it might even educate the voters about how our state government works and where the money comes from to make it work.

Just imagine what the campaign would be like if a bunch of moderate Democrats with Wyoming roots were on the ticket, especially if some of them were articulate speakers with tons of their own money to campaign with. It wouldn’t hurt if they were all tall and good-looking but that isn’t really necessary.

Although there is research showing that the taller candidate in a race has an advantage when it comes to drawing votes, that can easily be overcome by wearing cowboy hat or riding a big, beautiful horse in parades and television ads.

Unfortunately, it’s quite unlikely that such Democrats will turn up, but if they did, the campaigns would be much more exciting, and there might even be some close contests. Such excitement might bring greater turnout in an election, but it would be even better if it forced the candidates to turn their campaigns into an actual learning experience for voters.

It probably wouldn’t change the outcome — the Republicans would still win control — but it would create the possibility that all of us would have a greater understanding of how the state government works and where the funding to make it works comes from.

That possibility would be good for Wyoming, because people have a number of misconceptions about the government that should be discussed during campaigns. For example, it appears that several thousand Wyoming voters believe the governor has the power to order the arrest of federal workers and offer those arrested a deal: a job with the state or prosecution for a crime.

No such powers are listed among those granted the governor in the state’s Constitution, and if a governor took such actions, it may mean serious legal conflicts, not just with the federal government, but with the state’s prosecutors and judges who would have to deal with the mess.

And if the governor could do it to federal workers, why could he not do it to you or me?

So it is troubling that more than 30,000 Wyomingites apparently voted for that action in last month’s primary.

Another example has become apparent recently, namely that many voters are unaware of the role of the superintendent of public instruction or fully understand the process the Legislature, the governor and the courts went through with regard to that office.

I have heard people talk of the governor “breaking the law” when he signed the bill limiting the powers of the superintendent, even though no such law exists. Nor did the governor do anything unconstitutional when he signed the bill, as some believe.

No Supreme Court ruling had been made regarding the matter at the time, so the bill was not unconstitutional yet. It only became unconstitutional when the Wyoming Supreme Court handed down its ruling saying that it was.

I suspect many voters are not aware that the auditor, treasurer and secretary of state have powers they share with the governor because they sit on boards such as the State Lands and Investment Board that govern various state actions.

If candidates had opponents they would have to campaign harder, and they might find it necessary to inform the voters about those offices and the actions they have taken. Candidates on both sides of the controversy over the Common Core standards for schools would do a better job of justifying their positions to the voters, and could provide information justifying their positions on projects the Legislature is considering.

I think many candidates try to inform voters about the issues and how they will use the powers of the offices they seek once elected. When they face no opposition, though, they often don’t have to.

Even when they do attempt to educate their constituents, voters aren’t inclined to listen when they have no choice because there is only one name on the ballot. In a contested election, people may feel it is more important to learn about the issues and try to distinguish the candidates from each other.

Well, obviously, I have been talking about a dream situation that is quite unlikely to become a reality any time soon, or ever, for that matter. Consequently, the best I can do is encourage everyone to educate themselves about the candidate and issues before you vote, even if there is only one candidate on the ballot.

Who knows, you may learn enough that you will get fired up about something and become one of those opposing candidates someday.

If you do that, win or lose, you’ll make a positive impact on Wyoming.