Complaints against JP winner dismissed
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The Lake County Justice of the Peace race was unusual this year as 12 candidates threw their hats in the ring. Former Justice of the Peace Chuck Wall resigned after the primary election, opening the position to candidates.
Arlee Attorney Joey Jayne, won with 2,142 votes, and Rick Schoening was second with 1,993 votes.
After the election, three complaints were lodged against Jayne with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices. All three claimed Jayne violated Montana Code Annotated 13-35-211, an electioneering law.
The statute says, “A person may not do any electioneering on Election Day within any polling place or any building in which an election is being held or within 100 feet of any entrance to the building in which the polling place is located, which aids or promotes the success or defeat of any candidate or ballot issue to be voted upon at the election.”
All three complaints alleged Jayne was handing out business cards asking for votes as she talked to people waiting to register and vote or to vote absentee at the Lake County Election Office on Nov. 5, the day before Election Day.
Since the alleged activities took place the day before Election Day, Commissioner of Political Practices Jim Murry did not accept the complaints.
