When Montana’s sole U.S. Representative, Ryan Zinke, was appointed and confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, filling the vacated Congressional seat fell to the state political parties to select candidates and Montana’s 56 counties to fund the special federal election. The political parties have made their candidate selections, Governor Bullock has set the election for Thursday, May 25 and now the counties are preparing to hold the election.

Back in mid-February a bill was introduced in the Montana Senate (SB 305) that would allow for a one-time special election by mail ballot. The supporters of the bill argued for the cost savings using mail ballots as opposed to a full-blown election requiring polling places and election judges. The bill passed the Senate a week after it was introduced on a bipartisan vote of 37-13.

At its annual convention the Montana Association of Counties (MACo) voted to support the one time mail balloting proposal citing an expected savings of about $500,000 to the counties statewide. Blaine County Commissioners Frank DePriest and Dolores Plumage supported the mail ballot proposal as did local Election Administrator Sandra Boardman. Boardman said, “The mail ballot election would cost Blaine County about $12,000-$15,000 versus a full-blown election at about $20,000-$25,000.”

Both the Blaine County commissioners and Boardman pointed out the election was an unbudgeted item and would result in having to reduce current services or planned expenditures to fund the special election. The commissioners already reduced departmental budgets across the board to achieve a balanced budget for this year. Funding this election will cause more reductions.

Boardman, who must also secure polling places and hire qualified election judges, said the timing of the election will likely conflict with other events at some polling places and regular election judges may be involved in graduations and other end of school year events. Already she’s encountered a potential conflict using the lobby of the main gym at Harlem High.

Mail ballot proposal will be heard by House Judicial Committee

Senate Bill 305 is scheduled to be heard before the Montana House Judicial Committee on the morning of March 23. Sandra Boardman told the “Journal” that she and Commissioners DePriest and Plumage would be traveling to Helena to testify in favor of the mail ballot proposal. Boardman said, “We are looking at a savings to Blaine County of about $8,000 if we can hold this election by mail ballot. For obvious budget reasons, most county officials across the state favor this one-time use of the mail ballot.”

Blaine County officials are encouraging Blaine County voters and taxpayers to let state Representative Casey Knudsen, R-Malta, know how they feel about the one-time mail ballot proposal. Knudsen’s district includes part of Blaine County. More importantly for the hearing on Senate Bill 305, Knudsen is a member of the House Judicial Committee. For the bill to move to a floor vote before the whole House it must be voted out of the Judicial Committee. Boardman has often said, “I don’t think a lot of voters understand how elections are funded in Montana. Whether for federal, state or county offices, county taxpayers pay for elections.” And this special election was not budgeted.

You can reach Representative Knudsen by phone at 390-0274 or email him at cjamesknudsen@gmail.com.