A Proven Leader.
A Passionate Advocate.
Your Voice for Teton County.
LEN CARLMAN
For County Commissioner
Teton County, WY
MEET LEN
Six weeks in the summer of 1978 as a summer high school field ecology student at the Teton Science School in Kelly started my life-long love affair with Jackson Hole. I’ve been a student of this community and the greater Yellowstone ecosystem ever since. 15 different local jobs, 14 different homes, 32 years with Anne Ladd raising Madeline and Reed Carlman, and more cumulative years on local and statewide non-profit boards than I can count add up to a life of committed engagement on behalf of Teton County. My vision is shaped both by four decades of community engagement and 28 years as a Wyoming lawyer.
why I'm running
MY CORE VALUES
An approach well suited for the complex issues facing Teton County in 2024.
CIVILITY
Cultivating civility moves our community forward.
Whether it’s relations within the board of commissioners, or with Town of Jackson leaders, or citizens who have something to contribute to the well-being of our community, civility matters. As every good lawyer knows, after we bring our best arguments and make our strongest cases, agree and disagree, find common ground where possible and accept conflict as needed; we get ready to greet opposing counsel on the next case, work on behalf of the next client, and get the best possible outcome.
ADVOCACY
Jackson Hole is a powerful place. Having leaders on the County Commission who make a habit of having dirt on their boots, frost in their eyebrows and tenderness in their hearts, and who can articulate our community’s best interests with clarity and force, is important. Advocacy fortified by long experience will help us align our actions with the best long-term interests of Jackson Hole.
Articulating our community’s best interests with clarity and force
TEAMWORK
"It’s going to take all of us."
My dear friend and one of the grandmothers of the American conservation movement, the late Mardy Murie used to say, “it’s going to take all of us.” Teton County gets work done through its paid staff and volunteer public board members. The next commission will hire a new top administrator who alongside the board of commissioners sets the tone for the whole team. Cultivating a culture where employees are valued and appreciated, where they like their jobs, and where they bring their best service to the public. This will help the local government effectively deliver on the priorities of our community.
GET INVOLVED IN THE FUTURE OF TETON COUNTY
DONATE & GET INVOLVED
There are three big ways you can make a difference
VOTE
The pool of registered Teton County Democrats has shrunk, primarily due to voters who switched to the Republican party in the 2022 primary election to vote for U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney. These voters are now blocked from switching back to participate in the 2024 Democratic primary. This means that the vote of every remaining Teton County Democrat really counts.
DONATE
Successful, local campaigns have had budgets of as low as $10,000 to over $60,000. My campaign’s expenses will fall somewhere in the middle, probably close to $30,000. Wyoming laws cap Primary election contributions at $1,500 total per person. After the Primary, a person may contribute up to another $1,500 toward the general election. Please donate as generously as you can.
SPREAD THE WORD
Word-of-mouth is every good candidate’s best friend. Please encourage your friends and family to vote for me. If you can join me on some neighborhood door-to-door canvassing, please do. Walking the streets and knocking on doors shows direct respect to the highest office holders in the land, the citizens, and it gives the candidate the best possible chance to learn from neighbors and get the pulse of the community, and it can be a lot of fun!
Leslie Petersen
Former Teton County Commissioner
"I am SO thrilled that you are running for Commissioner. I will do all I can to help"
Katherine (Kat) Bush
JHHS and UW graduate, paralegal for Carlman Legal Services
"Len’s dedication to our community, combined with his exceptional listening skills and impressive memory, make him the ideal candidate for Teton County Commissioner. He will undoubtedly bring a level of attention to detail and genuine care that is sorely needed. I have full confidence that Len will serve Teton County with integrity and an unwavering commitment to its well-being."
Lee Carlman Ridell
Jackson Resident since 1975
"He is an attorney who has lived, worked and served on various Wyoming boards over the last 35+ years. He is a great listener, evaluates and distills what he hears, and proposes both short and long-term solutions."
Maryellen Carlman Frank
Teton County resident since 1981
"My brother Len Carlman has been actively engaged in our community for 35+ years, caring about the welfare of our residents, the abundant wildlife we cherish, and our spectacular wild and scenic vistas and waterways. Like our father who was a Village Manager for 17 years, I am confident Len will listen to your thoughts about the many issues before us and will work hard to achieve outcomes that reflect the values we hold dear. Public service has been a big part of his life from day one."
AJ DeRosa
Wood boat champion and owner of JH Vintage Adventures, AJ DeRosa is a legend of the Snake River. He settled in Wilson in 1974.
“I see you have decided to enter a hornets’ nest. Good for you and good for us. Go for a float next week?”
Roger Smith
Founder, Teton Raptor Center
"I cannot think of anyone in this valley who has given greater concern and thoughtfulness to the wildness that surrounds us every day in this valley, or who has developed a stronger sense of place and sensibility about what makes our community unique. from living here for such a long time, having raised a beautiful family and you have certainly shown me what it means to deeply care about a home."
A PROVEN LEADER
My training and experience as a Wyoming lawyer matters. It will be useful to have an experienced Wyoming lawyer on the board of county commissioners.
It will help me guide our community on law and policy relating to private property and public interests, federal, state and local government agencies, business, and the many other fields of law that interact with county government. I will leverage my legal career to build on my 41 years of teamwork with other government agencies, leaders and everyday citizens.
A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE
No other candidate has my depth of experience on the issues that matter most. I have made community service a lifelong priority.
From leading the Jackson Hole Alliance in the 1980s to keeping Hungry Jack’s General Store alive as a thriving business, I've always championed a sustainable future for Teton County. I’ve supported families through daycare at the Community Children’s Project, helped save and restore the Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center, and, with my wife, Anne Ladd, raised a strong Jackson Hole family. I understand the needs and unique challenges of Teton County.
A VOICE FOR TETON COUNTY
Between 1983 and 1992, working with people from all walks of life, I played a key role in redirecting the priorities of the Bridger Teton National Forest, away from clear cut logging and oil and gas leasing, in favor of wildlife habitat and recreation.
That work is still paying huge dividends for Teton County. In 2009 I helped deliver the Snake River Headwaters Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. More recently, I helped redirect multi-day special events to where they belong, our resort zones, and better protect conservation and community values in the quiet, rural parts of Teton County.