City opts for mail-in ballot election, primaries for municipal races
Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) The City of Missoula on Wednesday voted to hold municipal elections by mail-in ballot this September, and to hold a primary election for any race with three or more candidates.
While the filing deadline for municipal office closes on Wednesday – and the final tally expected Thursday morning – three city wards currently meet the threshold for a primary, along with the race for mayor.
City Clerk Clair Trimble said state law gives the city the option of holding elections either in person or by mail. The city has conducted mail ballot elections since 2007.
“We did find that increased participation,” said Trimble. “It's something we have to decide and tell the county election officials if we're going to do mail-in ballots or in-person polling.”
The cost of holding a mail-in ballot election for mayor will cost around $200,000. The cost for a primary in a single ward stands at around $125,000, Trimble said, adding that the costs are only estimates. Members of City Council approved the mail-in approach by a 7-2 vote.
State law also has a law stating that a primary is required when four or more candidates are in a single race. City Council opted to lower that threshold to three on Wednesday.
The race for mayor currently has three candidates, while Ward 6 has five candidates, and Wards 2 and 3 each have four candidates.
“We don't have a final count for which candidates are running,” said Trimble. “We have a lot of openings on our ballot this year.”
Along with the races for mayor and City Council, each of the three Municipal Court judge positions are also up for election. The primary is currently set for September 9.
“A higher voter turnout for mail-in elections makes sense,” said council member Amber Sherrill. “The fact that if we had a three-way race and didn't do a primary, the possibility of having someone in office that didn't even get a majority of their constituents vote seems wrong.”
The number of primaries and the cost of the mail-in ballot election will be known later this week.