Victor Miller is a human being.
But he’s promised to give his spot, if he can get one, on the Wyoming Republican primary election ballot to “Virtual Integrated Citizen” (VIC). That's an artificial intelligence bot that Miller says is part of a long plan to replace politicians.
Miller, who lives in Cheyenne, tried to register to appear on the primary election ballot in the U.S. Senate race last month under his first name only, but the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office denied his registration and told him to verify that he’s a person and a qualified elector.
So, Miller filed a civil rights lawsuit complaint Monday in the federal U.S. District Court for Wyoming, against Secretary of State Chuck Gray in his official capacity.
The complaint asks the federal court to intervene and force Gray’s office to register Miller as a Republican U.S. Senate candidate.
“Upon information and belief, no other candidate for any 2026 Wyoming primary office has been required to provide a separate written confirmation of personhood or elector qualification,” says Miller’s civil complaint. The secretary of state "has applied this requirement to (Miller) alone.”
This follows a similar 2024 effort in which Miller tried to run for Cheyenne mayor under the same pledge arrangement. That campaign garnered national and international headlines.
Ultimately, Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee kept “VIC” off the November 2024 ballot.
In the current election cycle, Victor Miller announced on May 19 that he and his nephew Landon Miller both planned to register as “meat avatars,” or humans with legal access to the ballot, who have pledged to give their decision-making powers, if elected, to the AI persona.
Miller said it’s part of a mission to shift toward AI governance and replace human politicians.
“We all feel it, we all hate them, we all see what they are doing us,” said Miller of politicians. “We need a solution to the politician problem, and we need it now.”
Landon Miller’s plan to get on the ballot is working so far: he’s registered to compete in the Ward 1 race for Cheyenne City Council.
But Victor didn’t make it onto the candidate list in his vicarious run for U.S. Senate.
Absolutely Not
Gray in a Thursday statement voiced opposition to Miller's plan.
“Both state and federal law are clear: to be a candidate for office, you must be a human being, NOT an AI bot,” wrote Gray in a text message to Cowboy State Daily. “I won’t tolerate a mockery of our electoral system and will NOT allow our electoral system to be taken advantage of by AI.”
Gray said his office is committed to upholding the law.
“Listing ‘VIC,’ ‘Victor,’ or any other pseudo name on the application does not comply with law,” he wrote. “We demand Miller’s application be resubmitted to clarify that he is a human being, which he failed to do.”
The Lawsuit Stuff
Miller’s lawsuit claims the state’s elections office rejected his registration because he filed under just his first name.
State law says, “a candidate may use the name on the ballot by which he is generally known” and that candidates with confusingly similar names should add their occupation and home address for contrast.
No one else in the U.S. Senate race is called “Victor,” notes Victor Miller’s civil complaint.
“Defendant rejected Plaintiff’s application not because Plaintiff fails to meet any qualification for office, not because of any fraud, confusion, or impersonation, but solely because Defendant insists that the ballot must read ‘Victor Miller’ rather than ‘Victor,’” the complaint says.
Miller says that “Victor” is the name by which he’s generally known.
When media outlets covered his 2024 campaign, they called him “Victor Miller” because media usage style requires reporters to list a person’s first and last name on first reference wherever possible.
“That doesn’t establish how Plaintiff is generally known. It establishes how news organizations formally identify subjects. The two are not the same,” the complaint says.
Miller’s complaint calls a candidate’s choice of ballot name a form of “core political expression” and the root of his public engagement.
He alleges that the Secretary of State’s Office is unconstitutionally compelling certain speech from him, in violation of the First Amendment, by requiring him to attach his last name.
The complaint lists 11 causes of action, alleging:
• A compelled speech violation of the First Amendment;
• A violation of the 14th Amendment’s call for equal protection;
• A violation of the 14th Amendment’s call for due process;
• A failure to balance the state’s interference in a ballot access question;
• A violation of the Wyoming Constitution’s promise of equal political rights;
• A violation of the state Constitution’s call for free and equal elections;
• A violation of the state Constitution’s ban on absolute, arbitrary power over freemen’s lives and liberty;
• A violation of the state Constitution’s due process provision;
• A violation of the state constitution’s free speech protection;
• A violation of the state constitution’s call for uniform enforcement of laws;
• And unlawful overreach of the proper role of the Secretary’s office.
This case is ongoing.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
