Mike Yin

Michael Stephen Yin (born March 14, 1986) is an American politician, software engineer, and businessman. A Democrat, he has represented District 16 of the Wyoming House of Representatives since 2018. Yin is Wyoming's first Chinese-American legislator.

Since 2023, Yin has served as Minority Leader in the Wyoming House of Representatives. Yin is also the president of OtterSpace, a company that builds electric vehicle charging stations in Wyoming.

Early life and education Yin was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to immigrant parents. His father, Alfred Somboun Yin, was from Yunnan, while his mother, Wooiyi Tan Yin, was Malaysian Chinese. Yin grew up in a Republican-voting household.

Yin graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in computer science. He has said he moved to Wyoming due to the state's natural beauty. In 2021, Yin founded OtterSpace, a Wyoming-based company that constructs charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs).

Political career Before his election to the Wyoming House of Representatives, Yin served as vice chair of the Teton County Democratic Party. Yin ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination and faced Republican Barbara Allen in the general election. Allen led in a local poll conducted by the Buckrail media outlet.

Analysis from The Casper Star-Tribune in 2018 found that Yin would likely be the second Asian American elected to the body, after Indian-born legislator Nimi McConigley, who served from 1994 to 1996. Yin won the election, 59.6% to 40.3%. In December 2019, he was part of a group of Asian American legislators who traveled to Japan as part of a program created by the U.S.-Japan Council and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. He was reelected in 2020 without opposition,

In 2021, Yin cosponsored legislation to introduce a 4% state income tax to fund education. In the 2022 election, he defeated Republican Jim McCollum, 73.8% to 25.9%. In November 2022, he was elected by the Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives to serve as Minority Leader.

Electoral history