HELENA – The Montana Senate has rejected an attempt by Gov. Steve Bullock to revive a bill that would have allowed counties to conduct the May 25 special congressional election by mail.
The Republican-led Senate rejected the Democratic governor’s proposed amendment to a separate election bill 27-21 on Monday.
Republican Sen. Doug Kary urged the Senate to return the bill to the governor without the mail-ballot amendment, saying it was too close to the election to happen.
The election to replace U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as Montana’s U.S. House representative is among Democrat Rob Quist, Republican Greg Gianforte and Libertarian Mark Wicks.
County election officials had supported a mail-only election option, saying it could save as much as $750,000.
But the measure stalled after Montana Republican Party chairman Jeff Essmann said a mail-only election would benefit Democrats.