One Man's Vote Could Determine State House Leadership
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express http://www.InclusionDaily.com
November 8, 2004
POLSON, MONTANA--The next time you doubt that one vote makes a difference,
remember this story.
The vote of one man, who happens to have a mental disability, could
determine the leadership within Montana's House of Representatives, the
Missoulian reported.
As of Monday, Constitution Party candidate Rick Jore led Democrat Jeanne
Windham by one vote in last Tuesday's election for the District 12 House
seat.
It has already been determined that Republicans will have 50 members in the
House. If Windham wins in District 12, Democrats will also have 50 members
in the House, which means that the newly elected Democratic governor will
name the Speaker of the House. If Jore wins, however, Democrats will only
have 49 members there, and the leadership will remain with Republicans.
An election judge had challenged the competency of the one voter, who works
at a Ronan sheltered workshop, after a case manager signed for the man on
his provisional ballot.
The county election administrator on Friday decided that the case manager
provided legitimate assistance to the voter.
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires state-funded programs
that provide services to people with disabilities to have voter registration
forms, to assist people in completing the forms, and deliver the forms to
elections officials. Actual assistance in the voting booth, however, can be
provided by poll workers.
The right to vote is guaranteed to adults by the U.S. Constitution. A mental
disability does not prohibit an adult from voting, unless if the person has
been deemed incompetent by the courts.
Election officials were expected to check court records Monday to determine
whether the man had formally been ruled incompetent.
Related:
"HD 12 hinges on provisional votes" (Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004/11/07/news/mtregional/news06.txt
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Forwarded to this list by:
Dave Reynolds, Editor
Inclusion Daily Express / Inclusion Weekly Review
International Disability Rights News Service
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http://www.InclusionDaily.com
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