IM ELIZABETH TRANSUE...
FIRST AT 530...
LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS ARE PLANNING TO
ASK VOTERS WHETHER COUNTY
OFFICIALS SHOULD BE CHOSEN
THROUGH NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE MONTANA
LEGISLATURE PASSED HOUSE BILL
129
AND GOVERNOR STEVE BULLOCK
SIGNED IT INTO LAW.
IT ALLOWS COUNTY COMMISSIONS TO
PUT A PROPOSAL TO SWITCH TO
NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS IN FRONT
OF COUNTY VOTERS.
A MAJORITY OF VOTERS WOULD HAVE
TO APPROVE THE CHANGE.
COMMISSIONER SUSAN GOOD GEISE
(GEE-SEE)
HAS ADVOCATED FOR YEARS TO MAKE
IT EASIER FOR COUNTIES TO SWITCH
TO NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS.
SHE ARGUES THE ISSUES THAT
AFFECT COUNTY RESIDENTS
SHOULDN’T BE DECIDED ON PARTY
LINES.
###
{"THERE’S NOTHING PARTISAN ABOUT
THE JOBS THAT WE DO, AND TO PUT
A BARRIER UP TO COOPERATION
AMONG THE THREE COMMISSIONERS IS
AN ARTIFICIAL BARRIER, IT’S
SOMETHING WE REALLY DON’T NEED
TO HAVE.}
GEISE SAYS THE COUNTY SHOULD
CONSIDER PUTTING THE QUESTION ON
THE BALLOT BY THIS FALL.
THEN IF VOTERS APPROVE SWITCHING
TO NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS
