Municipal elections are held every two years on odd numbered years, therefore, 2017 is a municipal election year. The Primary election date for this election cycle is September 12, 2017, and the General election date is November 7. 2017.  Pursuant to Montana Code Annotated (MCA) Section 13-19-104, a municipality may conduct a mail ballot election in coordination with the County Election Administrator. Pursuant to MCA 13-19-202, a municipality may request the County Election Administrator to plan and conduct a mail ballot election through a Resolution approved by the governing body. The final decision on conducting a mail ballot election is within the sole discretion of the County Election Administrator under MCA 13-19-202(3). However, according to our County Election Administrator Bret Rutherford, local mail ballot elections historically have improved voter participation and have been less costly to conduct than traditional polling place elections. The Resolution attached to this memo requests the County Election Administrator to study and respond back to the Mayor and City Council concerning whether the mail ballot election is economically and administratively feasible as provided in MCA 13-19-202(2).  The Election Administrator is required by MCA 13-19-205 to respond back to the governing body with this information within five (5) days after receiving the Resolution.

City Council may:

• Approve the attached Resolution requesting the County Election Administrator to consider a mail ballot election; or,
• Disapprove the Resolution requesting a mail ballot election.

As reported by Yellowstone  County Election Administrator Bret Rutherford, mail ballot elections result in greater voter participation than traditional polling place elections and are less costly for the municipality to conduct. Mr. Rutherford has estimated that using the current number of registered voters as a reference, the cost of the 2017 mail ballot election will be approximately $68,481 at $1 per registered voter for a Primary election, if needed, compared to the costs of a Primary election using the traditional polling place voting which would cost approximately $102,623.

For the General election, the costs would be the same as above; a mail ballot would cost approximately $68,481 at $1 per registered voter for the General election compared to the cost of a General election using the traditional polling place voting which would cost approximately $102,623. 

The cost of the primary and general elections are included in the proposed FY 2018 budget.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the attached Resolution requesting a mail ballot election for the 2017 municipal elections.