Articles written by John Driscoll


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  • Return to Grassroots

    John Driscoll, Helena, Mont.|Mar 8, 2018

    Why is it that our political parties are so disagreeable while we still visit with each other over coffee? The answer is that our political parties in Montana are no longer drawing their direction from our grassroots. Including Libertarians, of the 4758 precinct vacancies in the June 2014 Primary Election, only 571 positions were filled by properly filing a Declaration For Nomination and Oath Of Candidacy in a County Clerk and Recorder’s Office. Of more concern only 10 of 168 potential County party committees achieved 50 percent of precinct pos...

  • Virtuous Ambition

    John Driscoll, Helena, Mont.|Jan 25, 2018

    Montana’s three political parties control access to the General Election ballot. Montanans can influence their parties by grassroots electing 3,186 precinct persons in 56 counties. In 2014 no one filed for 2,630, or 82 percent. Of the 571 positions for which individuals filed, only 54 were contested. That small number of names was seen on the ballot by neighbors. Each county committee quorum of representative, equal to 50 percent or more of precinct positions, can be a valuable forum for discussing and addressing issues. For those committees t...