From collection Candidates
Mary E. Johnstone, the Republican candidate, was elected as County Superintendent of Schools for Chouteau County, Montana in 1884. She ran for re-election two years later but was defeated by Democrat, Mary E. Finnegan. Chouteau was a Democratic county in the 1880s. During her 1884 campaign Johnstone had sent handwritten letters to every registered voter in the county. She was accused of writing to "old batchelors" to gain their votes.