Johnson talks about election reforms

By WALT WILLIAMS hronicle Staff Writer

Montana Secretary of State Brad Johnson met with Gallatin County's top election official Tuesday to hear suggestions about what his office could do to make next year's statewide elections run as smoothly as possible.

“Smooth” is not the word local officials would choose to describe last year's elections. The county elections office was flooded with people who waited until the very last minute to register to vote. They were taking advantage of a 2005 change in state law that allowed same-day registration.

As a result, elections officials worked late into the night and the Gallatin County was one of the last in the state to tally its votes.

“I felt a little like an air-traffic controller that day,” Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder Charlotte Mills said.

Among the changes Johnson hopes to make for the 2008 election season is allowing local election officials to have two lines at polling places - one for registered voters and one for voters who need to register on election day.

He is gathering other ideas from county election officials during a tour of all 56 Montana counties. Last year's elections saw a number of changes from previous years, thanks to reforms in both state and federal law.

“We were in completely uncharted water,” Johnson said.

The most substantive reforms came through the Help America Vote Act, or HAVA, passed by Congress in 2002 to avoid the problems that plagued the 2000 presidential election.

Montana received $17 million to implement those changes, but has only about $1 million left, Johnson said. There is $300 million in a U.S. House appropriations bill to help states continue to pay for the election reforms, but there is no money in the Senate version of the bill.

“That money isn't going to go far,” Johnson said, referring to the $1 million the state has left. He noted the equipment the state was required to buy will eventually need upgrading and maintenance.

Johnson said his office spent $500,000 in 2006 trying to get the word out about reforms and to encourage voter registration. He doesn't expect to spend as much in 2008 given the information has been available for a while now.

However, Johnson said, he will not appear in any of his office's public service announcements because he is running for re-election in 2008. The Bozeman Republican is seeking a second term in office after being elected in 2004, and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch, a Democrat, has announced her plans to challenge him.

Johnson said his name and picture will still appear on publications from his office. His predecessor, Republican Bob Brown, was criticized by Democrats for having his picture appear on state publications when he ran for governor in 2004.

“I can't quit being secretary of state,” Johnson said.

Walt Williams is at wwilliams@dailychronicle.com or 582-2630

Reader Comments