Yellowstone County, Montana, elects three County Commissioners in partisan elections. All of the elections are at-large. However, the county divides itself into three districts for purposes of the residency of the candidates. Hans Abbey, an independent candidate for that office this year, collected signatures throughout the county, but the elections office says only signatures from residents of hit residency district may sign the petition. Abbey has sued to win a ruling that all voters in the county may sign. See this story.
how many ballot access restrictions — to stop cands getting on ballots ???
HOW OFTEN DO INCUMBENTS FAIL TO GET ON BALLOTS ????
Stick to your lane and answer Ifo’s questions, spambot!
The three commissioners are elected for six year terms in rotation, with one elected every two years.
The required number of signatures is 4% of the votes for the person elected to office in 2020. If we assume that 1/3 of the votes came from each district, then the county’s interpretation is requiring 12% of the relevant votes in the district.
This electoral system is not unusual for Montana, so the SOS would know how to correctly interpret the law. Having an *independent* candidate in Yellowstone County (Billings) may be novel, so that the election officials might have felt compelled to make up an interpretation, by summoning up there inner Linda McCulloch.
My grandpa taught me never to trust a guy with a Kraut name.