Senate Committee wants to improve election process

Members of a state Senate Special Select Committee are looking into ways to improve processes involving Montana elections and making suggestions on how county officials can better their operations.

Senate District 1's Mike Cuffe made the announcement in a press release Thursday morning. Cuffe represents Lincoln County.

“Two important recommendations go out to election officials in all of Montana’s 56 counties,” announced Sen. Mike Cuffe (R-SD-1). 

Cuffe chairs the Senate Special Select Committee looking into the Butte-Silverbow County primary election overcount.

"First, each county should have a two-person checkoff system for anything put into or erased out of the “reporting computer” which forwards election results to the Secretary of State," Cuffe wrote in the press release. "That will become part of the ballot chain of custody to assure accuracy.

"Secondly, county commissioners must understand their part in the election process, the final canvassing of the ballots. Associations of commissioners and clerk and recorders were part of the discussions leading to these recommendations."

After a very late ballot recount was conducted for Butte-Silverbow and results were reviewed extensively, it became apparent that the pre-election ballots run to test the tabulating machine had been plugged into the reporting computer but were not removed before the actual ballots were inputted on election day. That matches with the overcount total. 

It amounted to more than 1,100 extra ballots, which had scattered votes among the candidates. Changes in the individual results were minimal and in accordance with the test ballots.

A very accurate machine recount was held by court order on Aug. 19-20. It was carefully observed by the special select senate committee appointed by President Jason Ellsworth. Others on the committee were Sen. Theresa Manzella from Ravalli County, Sen. Shelley Vance from Gallatin County, and Sen. Edie McClafferty and Sen. Ryan Lynch, both from Silverbow County.

Cuffe expects the committee will bring a half dozen bill drafts to the next session which begins on Jan. 6, 2025. The special committee will meet Nov. 15 and Nov. 25 to finalize these proposals which may include revision of statute language dealing with recount procedures and with listing of results.

“Our desire is to give citizens confidence in Montana’s election process,” Cuffe said. “We have a good system; we have good officials. These proposals are improvements.”