Write-in bid for Montana county sheriff foiled by missing first name

[Newsjock]

Source: Missoulian

A write-in candidate for sheriff of Powell County lost by 90 votes Tuesday after election judges rejected 238 write-in votes. Sheriff Scott Howard held onto his post by a 994-904 margin over challenger Gavin Roselles, who entered the race in August after losing his deputy job in Howard's office due to cutbacks.

Elections administrator Diane Grey said her election judges had no way of keeping track but “many, many” of the discarded votes were voided because they included only Roselles’ last name.

... According to Roselles, he launched his campaign with the understanding from both Grey and Montana Secretary of State Linda McCulloch’s office that clear voter intent was the criterion for a valid write-in vote. He didn’t worry about it when he posted campaign signs around the county that said only “Roselles” on them.

... “Years ago, it was just if you could tell the intent of the voter,” said Lisa Kimmet, McCulloch’s deputy for elections. “Since 2000, since Bush v. Gore, states were required to tighten up what constitutes a valid vote. Now, it’s if you can tell the intent of the voter under the rules.”

Read more: http://missoulian.com/news/local/write-in-bid-for-powell-county-sheriff-foiled-by-missing/article_7d838d4c-f533-572a-b26a-61889b871db3.html

[exboyfil]

1. In 1998 I lived in a district

in which one candidate (Byron Looper) shot and killed the other candidate, incumbent Tommy Burks. It was too late to replace Burks on the ballot, but his widow stepped up and ran a write in campaign that was successful. One thing I noted that even the poll workers, probably in violation of the law, were careful about the instructions regarding write in ballots. Obviously no one wanted to see Looper, who was probably in jail by then, win the election.