Butte-Silver Bow chief executive calls special meeting after clerk rescinds resolution; residents urge keeping primaries

The chief executive of Butte‑Silver Bow called a special meeting on March 13 to address a pair of resolutions that had been submitted to remove local races from the June primary ballot and then pulled after the resolutions were rescinded, the chief executive said at the council chambers.

"She has rescinded that tonight," the chief executive told the assembled residents, referring to Clerk and Recorder Cindy Sherman’s withdrawal of the resolution seeking to remove local elections from the ballot. The chief executive said the clerk had consulted other clerks and legal guidance about what state law allows but that the clerk did not act in bad faith.

Residents who spoke during the public‑comment period urged the council to keep the local primary in place. "Canceling an election would eliminate the option for voters to write in a candidate of their choice," Connie Thompson said, arguing that removing the primary would reduce voter options and risk confusion.

Several commenters described concerns about ballot administration and voter outreach. Denise Kelly said she had contacted the clerk two weeks earlier about placing an initiative on the June ballot and was told, "First of all, you need 3,500 signatures." Kelly requested a follow‑up from staff to confirm whether the initiative process could still proceed.

Lisa Farino corrected an earlier characterization of federal legislation, saying the "Save America Act" had passed the House but "has not passed yet" in the Senate, and urged attendees to keep focused on the local election process. Election worker Jess Leducer warned that removing local contests could dampen turnout for state and federal races on the same ballot.

The chief executive said both resolutions were pulled and that the county would proceed with local contests on the primary ballot so that voters may select their local representatives. The meeting record in the transcript shows the chief executive thanked the public for attending and called for a motion to adjourn; no formal council action or vote on the resolutions appears in the transcript.

The council allowed public comment on items not on the agenda and did not take further action on changing the June ballot during the special meeting. The chief executive said staff would follow up on individual questions raised during the public‑comment period.