elections asked for that. it was basically a bipartisan money-saving good government, noncontroversial idea. and then the head of the state republican party decided it couldn t happen. he sent out a report to his fellow republicans warning them that an all mail-in ballot election would result in more people voting and that would, quote, give the democrats an inherent advantage. montana hasn t sent a democrat to congress since 1997. trump won montana by 20 points but apparently it s better to have the voters spend $3 million than to risk too many people voting so they might lose the election. the montana state chairman said his fellow republicans good government plan had to go.
we ve been following an interesting story out of montana. one congressional for the whole state until recently ryan zinke left to become interior secretary. if you only have one seat in congress for the whole state, you really need to fill that seat, right? the original plan was to have a special election conducted through the mail. the state sends you a ballot in the mail, you fill it out and send it back. montana senate liked it. county clerks who run the elections asked for that. it was basically a bipartisan money-saving good government, noncontroversial idea. and then the head of the state republican party decided it couldn t happen. he sent out a report to his fellow republicans warning them that an all mail-in ballot election would result in more people voting and that would,
turnout. because that s what happens with the mail ballot election. you get a way better turnout. and all the municipal elections now are held that way so the mayors and the city councils and are elected by mail and a lot of the special smaller districts and it s just more convenient and it s very cost effective. and that s the problem with the elections. especially one that usually you have two years to plan for and this is going to happen within 8 5 das and right now the clock is ticking, less than 85 days right now. the big venues and bigger areas, they usual book the two years out so you just can t get a venue on may 25th this close to the electioelection. lots of them are in use like the bigger areas, fairgrounds, civic centers, in one of our largest counties, population wise. and then our judges our judges are a lot of them are snow birds and they re still in arizona. and school s on.
office with their vote-ballot or won t drop it off at the courthouse as opposed to democrats? i understand you are a former you re, you ve done this work at the county level. i ve been struck by these good government arguments, these fiscally conservative arguments that have been made by county clerks across the state. just saying, listen, montana knows how to do this, this is an easy way to do it, familiar to everybody and we can do this without controversy. is there any substantive objection to it other than the party chairman saying that it might help democrats? there s not anything that s wrong with mail ballots i can think of, we ve been doing mail ballots since 1983 in the state. most the school elections are held that way and which are mostly the bond elections. any time there is a special bond election, they re usually held by mail so you can get a better turnout. because that s what happens with the mail ballot election. you get a way better turnout. and all the municipal
objection to it other than the party chairman saying that it might help democrats? there s not anything that s wrong with mail ballots i can think of, we ve been doing mail ballots since 1983 in the state. most the school elections are held that way and which are mostly the bond elections. any time there is a special bond election, they re usually held by mail so you can get a better turnout. because that s what happens with the mail ballot election. you get a way better turnout. and all the municipal elections now are held that way so the mayors and the city councils and are elected by mail and a lot of the special smaller districts and it s just more convenient and it s very cost effective. and that s the problem with the elections. especially one that usually you have two years to plan for and this is going to happen within 8 5 day s and right now the clock is ticking, less than 85 days right now. the big venues and bigger areas, they usually book those two years out so you just c