A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

29 March 2017

Montana Clerk and Recorders misstate voter turnout statistics

In a long letter to Montana’s House of Representatives, seeking to rebut Secretary of State Corey Stapleton’s testimony on SB-305, the bill permitting an all-mail ballot special congressional election, the Association of Montana Clerk and Recorders mischaracterized voter turnout statistics for several states:

Based on eligible voting population from the November 8, 2016 election, states saw the following turnout: Montana 74%, Colorado 74%, Washington State 78% and Oregon at 80%.

“Eligible voting population” is an idiosyncratic term. It is possible that the C&Rs mean “voting eligible population,” which is the voting age population minus foreign nationals, prison inmates, and other disqualified classes. But even if the C&Rs meant “voting eligible population,” the turnout numbers they cited are wrong for that statistic.

Here are the correct VEP and registered voter turnout statistics for the states cited by the C&Rs, and for Minnesota:

Earlier this month, I posted analyses of Oregon’s pre and post all-mail ballot turnout, and of Montana’s general and primary turnout for 1972–2016.