Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Opinion & Editorial

by Regina Plettenberg, Ravalli County Election Administrator

The Election Administrators around the State of Montana are supporting a bill that would allow each county the option of running all of their elections, including federal and state elections, by mail ballot. In Ravalli County, our office has been running our elections by mail ballot for many years, including fire district, school bond and municipal elections. However, we have never had the option under Montana law to run our federal or state elections in this manner. With the ever growing number of absentee ballots requested for these elections, along with the complexity and cost of running these elections, mail ballot seems like a good choice for our state. In the past presidential general election in Ravalli County, nearly 40% of voters voted by absentee (which means they did not vote at the polling place).

For those of you who have never voted an absentee or mail ballot, about 20-25 days before the election our office would mail a ballot to every active voter in the county. These ballots would be mailed to the mailing address given on your voter registration card. If you need us to mail it to an alternate address, you would need to contact our office. You would vote the ballot and mail it back or drop it off to my office. You could mail back immediately or take some time to think it over before you vote and return it. The county would pay to mail the ballot to you and you would pay the postage to return it. You would no longer need to drive to your polling place, but you would still have the option of delivering it in person. In state and federal elections, on Election Day we would provide drop off sites throughout the county where you could drop off your ballot. At this moment, I envision drop off locations in Darby, Hamilton, Stevensville and Florence. We would provide Automarks at these drop off sites as well. The Automarks are machines that assist disabled voters so they may vote their ballot independently. However, a voter can also have a family member, friend or caregiver assist them with voting their ballot in the comfort of their home.

Here are some other advantages of voting by mail:

No waiting in line - for smaller communities this may not be a problem right now, but in larger communities and as the increasing costs of elections force more and more counties to eliminate polling locations in favor of consolidation, this will become more and more of a problem and a hindrance to voting.

No polling place intimidation  - In many Montana counties law enforcement is often required to maintain order and many voters are very uncomfortable with the electioneering done at the polling places (100 feet away).

No confusion about where to go to vote - With consolidation and redistricting, polling places often change.

No need to make arrangements for childcare or time off from work - this is a benefit to single mothers and lower income workers.

No need to hire and train poll workers - Missoula County and Yellowstone County both recruit and train over 750 election judges, Ravalli County recruits and trains about 275 election judges. It is getting very difficult to find enough individuals willing to work these elections. 

Increased election process integrity through signature verification – Every ballot is returned in an envelope that must be signed by you as the person who voted your ballot. We compare this signature to your voter registration card. Signatures are NEVER verified in polling place elections.

Lower election administration costs - If Mail Ballot elections had been held in 2008, approximately $4 million dollars of taxpayer money would have been saved statewide.

Increased voter turnout - Since 1998 Montana has always ranked behind both Oregon and Washington state since they moved to mail ballot elections.  Prior to their movement to mail ballot elections, Montana consistently had a higher voter turnout.

Time for voter to make well-informed decisions and ask questions if not sure - in polling place elections, voters are "rushed" into voting for candidates or issues of which they may be ill-informed.  With mail ballot elections they have the time and opportunity to make well informed decisions.

No worry about missing an election – the ballot for each election would automatically be mailed to you. With all of our busy schedules, it is so easy to miss out on voting.

A few interesting items from an Oregon mail ballot study are listed below:

Overall, Oregonians prefer voting by mail over voting at the polling place 80.9% to 19.1%

- Females prefer voting by mail 83% to 77.5% for males

- The three categories of Employment status who most favor voting by mail are homemakers (93.3%), Disabled (89.3%) and Retired (85.5%)

- The two age groups who most favor voting by mail are 18 - 25 year olds (86.7%) and 65+ years old (86%)

- The difference between whites and non-whites is very small (81.5% to 79.3%)

- Rural voters favor mail ballot more than urban (81.3% to 80.2%)

- The three categories of income that most favor voting by mail are the three lowest categories Less than $18,00 ( 81.1%), $18,000 - $25,000 (84.4%) and $26,000 - $40,000 (83.7%)

As you can see, there are many reasons the Election Administrators are supporting this effort. However, I want to know how the citizens in Ravalli County feel about it. I would like to hear from those of you who are familiar with the process and what your experience has been with it. I would also like to hear from those of you who are not and may have some concerns. You can contact me by phone, mail or e-mail: Regina Plettenberg, Election Administrator, 215 South 4th Street, Suite C

Hamilton, MT 59840; 406-375-6550; rplettenberg@ravallicounty.mt.gov.

I look forward to hearing from you!

School board makes poor decision

Dear Editor,

In banning an educational film, "The Story of Stuff," and reprimanding Kathleen Kennedy, the Missoula school board has displayed an alarming amount of ignorance about the reality of today’s world. I am alerting the national news networks with the hope that they will pick up on this story. If they do, the Missoula school board will end up looking uneducated, unschooled, unread, and misinformed...hardly adjectives one wishes to attach to the school board responsible for our children's education. I hope they will alter their decision and make the film available to every child. The film can be viewed for free by everyone at www.thestoryofstuff.com. I hope you watch it.

Barbara Ellis
Stevensville

Traps problematic

Dear Editor,

I am responding to letters and online posts regarding the picture of my dog Otis who was caught in two leg hold traps up Lost Horse Canyon a couple months ago.

The picture was not staged or posed like some have attested. These accusations have occurred on the web and in local newspapers. On Youtube for instance, where the video I did resides (there have been 3900 views so far) 80 comments have been made, some quite vicious.

It has been stated that the picture was faked due to the newness of the trap. Well, it did in reality look to be brand new; the one on his back side, however, was quite old but not photographed.

I kept my camera in my pack as I was pretty freaked out and since the dog didn't seem in imminent danger I paused for a second as my ski companion yelled "let me get a shot."

As I have said before, the dog wasn't seriously hurt and after figuring out how to release the traps everything worked out ok. The upsetting things were if we hadn't found him before the storm moved in that night and he had frozen to death, or that he got gangrene which my veterinarian said is likely if they are in a trap too long. Plus, animals caught in traps have done things in desperation that I don’t want to talk about.

You know, after spending quite a bit of time out in the woods here for over 25 years, I have yet to see a bobcat, fisher, wolverine, or pine marten; I wonder why? Are they predators whose populations need “controlling”?

I appreciate everyone keeping this issue alive in the newspapers as it is a real wake up call for many people.

Stevi Slocomb
Hamilton

Airport truths and facts

Dear Editor,

The airport opinion on February 18, 2009 by the ICAARE group is so deceitful and distorted that it cannot go un-addressed. I’ve found it interesting over the years that the negative anti-side of any issue is easy to present because it usually doesn’t have to be factual or proven, simply indicate and promote doubt. But the positive pro-side has to be proven and based on facts. This is obviously the case now.

First of all, I was at the Feb. 4th meeting ICAARE was referring to and I didn’t hear the “Commissioner suggested alternative” that ICAARE refers to. As I heard, the Commissioners were seeking information by simply inquiring about all the alternatives from the FAA representative in attendance. ICAARE forgot to mention in their opinion that although the 80-foot option does meet with FAA requirements per Dave Stelling, the FAA representative, it is considered a band-aid and is NOT fundable by the FAA. ICAARE states that this 80-foot alternative also “allows for additional hangar space and tie downs.” Not true. How can widening the existing runway add one square foot of ramp or hangar area? It can’t and doesn’t, thus the reason the FAA will not fund this option.

Secondly, the Engineer and FAA recommended 400-foot runway option (moving the runway 400 feet sideways) will cost $3.2 million, the SAME as ICAARE’s preferred 80-foot shift, based on the engineer’s cost estimates that are included in the Environmental Assessment which is available for all of us to view at the Commissioners’ office. This, of course, is contrary to the ICAARE “myths.” As you will see in the Environmental Assessment, there is another $14 million for additional “protective” land purchases to prevent subdivisions from sprouting too close to the airport and projected improvements over the next 20 years including ramp, taxi-ways, roads, fencing and security that may have to be considered in the future REGARDLESS of the selected alternative, yes, even the 80-foot widening alternative!

Thirdly, ICAARE states a “substantial cost savings to county taxpayers” with the 80-foot option when in fact, that option WILL cost the local taxpayers $3.2 million due to the fact that it is NOT fundable by the FAA aviation tax dollars. The only option that meets ALL the requirements and qualifies for ALL available funds with NO cost to local taxpayers, is the 400-foot fully funded option which will inject our Bitterroot economy with “stimulus” money for many years to come, even after the project itself! I’m also sorry to say for those who want airline service, until the runway is widened to 150 feet and lengthened to 8000 feet, no matter where the runway is located, there is NO chance of 737 airline service coming to our community to pick up the 300 Hamilton passengers on each flight.

C’mon, ICAARE, you obviously don’t know what your talking about but on the chance that your letters have simply been an honest oversight, please tell ALL the facts from now on! I realize there are only about a dozen of you ICAARE folks but with a donation of $250,000 each, perhaps you could offer to fund your favorite “80-foot solution” for us taxpayers!

Steve Wolters
Hamilton

Thanks to Stevensville ambulance crew

Dear Editor,

If you ever need the services of an emergency crew, you will find the Stevensville Ambulance Crew to be among the very best. In November of 2008, I fell and broke my right pelvis. Within less than ten minutes, six of the Stevensville EMTs were in my home. This was at 5:45 in the morning.

About ten days after I was sent home I fell again. This time I broke my left hip. Again when the ambulance was called, six more EMTs appeared. This was also about 5:45. In both incidences, the crew was gentle and kind.

I can remember when some firemen came to the City Council advocating such an organization and I haven't given it much thought until I needed them. Now I have the wonderful knowledge that we are so fortunate to have them and I would encourage anyone who needs them to call specifically for them.

Now I will gladly thank them for their kindness and caring when needed. Thank you, Stevensville Ambulance Service! You are the greatest!

Julie Wallace
Stevensville

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