Imagine a bi-partisan bill to keep more drunk drivers off of the road. It easily passes the Senate. But the leadership of the Montana House radically breaks with House rules! And assigns the Bill to a House “kill” committee well known to support the market interests of the Montana tavern industry. A committee with a chairman ready, willing and able to with majority of the committee “kill” a popular bill.
And pretty much kill citizen and professional and county commissioner participation in scheduled public comment.
The Montana Senate passed and sent to the House leadership SB 305. A bill supported by county taxpayers, county commissioners, and county Clerk & Recorder/Election Administrators. A simple bill allowing each county the freedom of choice for an all mail-in Special Election ballot. Where all registered voters would vote absent of a polling place, by voting on a ballot received in the U.S. Mail.
SB 305 was a simple bill that would save a total of some $500,000 to $750,000 to Montana counties because counties have to pay for renting and judging polling places of the upcoming clection of one federal official, to represent Montana in Congress.
SB 305 was a simple bill for a simple election. A Special Election that is likely to have a low turnout. Most everybody knows that low turnout elections are relatively easy to manipulate.
That’s why this is my favorite comment on low and high turnout for public elections: “I would rather lose in a high turnout election, than win in a low turnout election!” That gem of insight from Republican Geraldine Custer who represents House District 39, around Forsyth, Montana.
The Montana House could have voted to help cover county costs incurred to implement the Special Election. They certainly knew killing SB 305 was a simple transaction, when assigning SB 305 to the “kill committee.”
Sure enough the House Judiciary Committee voted again and again 11-8 to not advance SB 305 to a floor discussion and vote.
House and GOP leaders certainly knew SB 305 is a simple transaction. For instance, some $500K – $750K might obtain 1K – 3K more votes for the GOP and Greg Gianforte to represent Montana in Congress. That’s OK, some did say!
Let’s see, that would be some $250 – $500 per vote. That’s OK, some did say!
Here’s probable essence of what they said. ‘Must kill SB 305 and the Bullock Amendment. Tough luck, counties. To maintain county budgets and reserves, it is now the responsibility of county taxpayers to pay some $500,000 to $750,000, for a polling place election, where low turnouts are expected.’
So bottom line goes like this. Montana House leadership took advantage of Montana counties, also county taxpayers to maybe, perhaps, obtain a few more thousand votes for the GOP and Greg Gianforte.
To conserve county budgets, county taxpayers will be stuck with the costs. Maybe $250 to $500 for every party anticipated vote for GOP candidate Gianforte marked at a polling place on May 25, 2017.
However, polling place Special Elections always have low turnouts. And a lot of you will choose to vote absent of a polling place. And request an absentee ballot and vote at home.
Maybe post ballots on the refrigerator door. Look at them, with kids and friends.
Then make one mark and put your ballot in the U.S. Mail.
And a lot of registered voters will intend to vote Thursday, May 25. But for good reasons never make it to the polling places. And a lot of those people will be busy younger people who are kind of indifferent about politics.
But people who are loyal to the GOP and excited about Mr. Gianforte working with the majorities in Congress, and the roll out of the Trump Administration, will certainly vote at the polling places. Especially professionally independent people. Especially my peers, older people with flexible schedules. Especially now with Justice Gorsuch on the Supreme Court.
So comes the obvious question. How come county taxpayers are forced to subsidize a GOP anticipation of a few more thousand votes? Sounds like county taxpayers were forced to subsidize increased party anticipated votes.
Sounds to me like State GOP and House leaders thought superior organization and larger campaign contribution bank accounts were not enough to put the GOP candidate in the U.S. Congress.
That candidate to be the one person to represent Montana in the House of Representatives under Paul Ryan.
That candidate to be elected in part by a kind of a de facto taxpayer supported voter suppression.
Bob Williams, Stevensville