7 April 2017
Better to kill HB-83 than to accept Gov. Bullock’s
high-handed amendatory veto on mail ballots
It’s still possible that an unholy cabal of skinflint local elections officials (mostly Republican) and mail ballot loving Democrats who hate casting their ballots at the polls will succeed in converting Montana’s special congressional election to an all-mail ballot election.
This morning, Gov. Steve Bullock announced he has issued an amendatory veto to a bill awaiting his signature that would mandate an all-mail ballot for the special election. Bullock did not identify the bill or its author, nor did the Associated Press, but the Great Falls Tribune did. It’s HB-83, Rep. Bryce Bennett’s (D-Missoula) bill to generally revise election laws.
Both the MT House and MT Senate must approve the amendatory veto. I urge legislators to reject Bullock’s arrogant maneuver. Better to let HB-83 die than to breath new life into the abomination known as an all-mail ballot election.