Passions flare over mail-in ballots

HELENA — The fight over Montana’s only congressional seat was thrust into the legislative arena Thursday, as lawmakers continued debate over whether to conduct the May 25 special election by mail.

Passions flared in the House Judiciary Committee as dozens of people — some driving more than 400 miles to attend a hearing — urged lawmakers to save counties from financial hardship and logistical nightmares by allowing counties to hold the election completely through mail-in absentee ballots.

So heated was the hearing that the committee’s chair, Republican Rep. Alan Doane of Bloomfield, halted proceedings and cleared the room after one woman defied his decision to limit time for testimony from the overflow crowd.

Counties say they face tens of thousands of dollars in unexpected costs — possibly as much as $750,000 statewide — because of the special election, which is being held to fill the vacancy when Ryan Zinke became Secretary of the Interior.

The congressional contest between Republican Greg Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist is garnering wide national attention, as Democrats attempt to mobilize after their embarrassing showing last November and push back against Republicans.

Secretary of State Corey Stapleton opposed the measure and suggested that an all-mail election could affect the integrity of the balloting

“We’re not here to have the cheapest elections. We’re here to have the best elections,” Stapleton told lawmakers.

While the bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick of Great Falls appeared to be a bipartisan effort, the matter took an overtly partisan tone when the chair of the Montana Republican Party warned party loyalists that mail-only voting could strengthen Democratic prospects and hurt Republican chances at the ballot box.

Fitzpatrick called his proposal fiscally conservative and the right thing to do and would help promote access to the ballot box, as counties scramble to find polling places and print up ballots with only about two months before the special election.

Representatives from counties across the expansive state are scrambling to find the money to pay for the special election. They said they did not set aside the necessary funds to pay for the necessary staff and facilities required to hold a special election.

Frank DePriest, who chairs the Blaine County Board of Commissioners, said his county had to cut $600,000 from its budget and froze wages. Running an election, he said, would siphon thousands of dollars from county programs.

Lewis and Clark County Commissioner Susan Good Geise, a former legislator and statewide chair of the Republican Party, said mail voting would save her county $65,000 in “unanticipated expenses in tight budget times.”