Law needs to provide runoff elections

Editor,

I write this note to comment on a letter by Jim Rogers in the Dec. 23 edition of the Lake County Leader.

We have three earnest individuals (Mr. Cross, Mrs. Windham and Mr. Jore) who put their best efforts forward trying to represent the people of Lake County in the Montana House of Representatives in the next legislative session.

The election results ended in Mrs. Windham and Mr. Jore tied with an equal number of votes. This was certified by the Lake County Election Commission under the guidance of the Montana Codes Annotated. Consequently, per Montana statute, the governor must then break the tie and select the individual.

This was done and Mr. Jore is now our representative in the 2005 state legislature.

In Mr. Rogers' letter he attempts to portray Mr. Jore as an individual lacking integrity because of what Mr. Rogers perceives as questionable ballots cast for Mr. Jore and Mrs. Windham and that Mr. Jore should step aside.

This latest partisan attempt by Mr. Rogers should demonstrate to your readers what lacking integrity means. By definition integrity means: "firm adherence to a code of especially moral values." Mr. Jore maintains this virtue in and out of season and has my deepest respect.

The procedures that are being followed in this election were established by the people of Montana via our legislature. I will add, however, that I believe the laws regarding this particular election should be changed to allow that where a multiple three-candidate election exists a runoff should occur in the event of a two-candidate tie.

This would uphold the will of the people and keep the elections of our representatives out of the courts.

Sam T. Marshall

Polson