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On the eve of Tuesday's general election, it appears that a Libertarian may again be poised to play the spoiler's role in 2008.

No stranger to running for office, W. David Herbert, of Riverton, ran against Michael Enzi and Kathy Karpan in 1996, competing to fill the seat of retiring Senator Alan Simpson. That means Herbert is also no stranger to defeat.

This year, too, Herbert concedes that his chances of winning outright on November 4 are "not realistic at all." Herbert says his main reason for running is "to keep my party on the ballot." [more]

watching the polls

A day before Election Day, a new poll (PDF) shows that Barack Obama has a slight lead over John McCain in Montana, 48 percent to 47 percent, with Ron Paul -- who beat McCain in the primary here -- taking 4 percent.

According to the poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling, Obama holds a 61-35 lead with those who have already voted, while McCain is up 53-40 with people who plan to vote on Election Day. [more]

Every hand went up when I recently asked my students at the University of Montana if they plan to vote. And if student activism in this liberal college town is any indication, Barack Obama has considerable support among 18- to 24-year-olds. The only problem is that when it comes to actually casting ballots on election day, the kids aren't alright. They're consistently the most apathetic demographic among a less than inspiring voting public.

Will it be different for Obama? History says no, but he does have some unique advantages that previous candidates lacked. If young Americans turn out en masse for Obama on November 4, historians will have to look anew at the question of age and voter participation. [more]

From The New West Blog

A report on the effects of climate change in Montana, particularly on trout, will air tonight on PBS's The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

Titled "Trout and Drought," the report features interviews with Governor Brian Schweitzer; Professor Steve Running, Regent's Professor of Ecology at University of Montana; well-known fishing guide Craig Mathews, of West Yellowstone; Jenny West, a fishing guide from Hamilton; Walt Sales, a farmer in the Gallatin Valley; and Missoula Mayor John Engen. [more]

watching the polls

The third poll in two weeks suggests John McCain's up by four points over Barack Obama in Montana. [more]

Two things can be found taped to the refrigerator door in my house. One is the latest dog-centric New Yorker cartoon. This week, the cartoon depicts two dogs. One is lying on a couch, face up, while the second dog, sitting on a chair in a most therapist-like fashion, says, "That's right — own your accidents." The second thing on my refrigerator is The Metta Sutra, or Teaching on Loving Kindness.

When I catch myself reading these words, I can feel myself breathing a little deeper, taking things a little slower, trusting the world a little more.

Unless it is a week before the election. [more]

watching the polls

With Election Day a week away, John McCain has a four point advantage over Barack Obama in Montana, 48 percent to 44 percent, according to a NBC/MasonDixon poll released Tuesday.

The poll is on target with the average of all the polls conducted in the state so far. [more]

A record number of Montana voters -- more than 121,000 -- have already turned in absentee ballots, about 30 percent of the total turnout in 2004.

"In 2006, we had 119,894 absentee ballots voted, the highest number ever. So far in 2008, we've had 121,005. That makes this year a new record, and it's not even Election Day yet," said Secretary of State Brad Johnson in a statement. "Montanans care about our state and our nation -- the numbers prove it."

A total of 179,149 absentee ballots have been sent out. Click here county-by-county numbers (PDF). [more]

Sheridan -- The ancient Greeks had a word, καιρ?ς or kairos, which means an era of unique opportunity. It's an unspecified period of time ripe for taking advantage of changing circumstances.

Wyoming and the energy-rich West have an opportunity to at least acknowledge such an era: we live in a time where change occurs at an unprecedented speed.

Wyoming can either react to this acceleration or be dragged along by it, probably a little of both. But we ignore it at our peril. [more]

Whitefish may soon be joining Missoula in changing its chicken rules. Missoula, after months of heated chicken wars, approved an ordinance last December to allow up to six hens in residential zones. Now, Whitefish is clucking, too, over poultry.

"The keeping of chickens is a common inquiry," Nikki Bond, a city planner, reported at the Whitefish City Planning Board's mid-October meeting. But most potential chicken owners find a quick deterrent—an expensive permit compared to the cost of the chickens. [more]

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