Montana Senate passes bill to allow mail-in ballot

(AP) — The Republican-led Montana Senate passed a bill Friday to allow counties to conduct this year's expected election for U.S. House by mail, despite objections by the state GOP chairman that it would give the Democratic candidate the advantage.

The mail-in ballot bill's sponsor, Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, said county clerks from across the state have requested the option of holding a mail-only election.

"All mail ballots give the Democrats an inherent advantage in close elections due to their ability to organize large numbers of unpaid college students and members of public employee unions to gather ballots by going door to door," Essmann wrote.

Fitzpatrick dismissed the concerns about voter fraud and also Essmann's concerns about Democrats having an advantage in a mail-only election, saying that a majority of voters already mail in absentee ballots during elections.