KALISPELL — Flathead County election officials are reviewing Kalispell's municipal ballots, which may have been issued according to previous ward boundaries.
A press release from the elections office says ballots may not have been updated to show the new ward boundaries approved by the Kalispell City Council in December 2021.
In response to this situation, the election process will be managed as follows:
· Absentee voters should cast their votes using the ballots they received in the mail. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election night.
· Poll Voters will be issued a ballot at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Trade Center. Polls are open until 8 p.m.
· Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Election night.
· The Elections Department will continue to oversee ballot signature verification, acceptance, tabulation, election canvass, and the certification of candidates.
· MCA Title 13, Chapter 26 outlines the relevant laws for contesting the nomination or election of an official.
Officials say research from the Flathead County Election Officials indicates that the ward and annexation records are accurate in the newly proposed countywide precinct maps. Once the new precinct boundaries are presented and approved by the Board of Commissioners, the data will be entered into the ElectMT voter database.
Flathead County Election Office acknowledges this oversight raises concerns regarding a safe and accurate election process. The elections department is fully aware of the gravity of the situation and is unwaveringly committed to ensuring error-free execution of our elections.
Going forward, the County will continue to review, check, and double-check procedures. We will implement updates to prevent a recurrence of this incident. This serves as a poignant reminder of the paramount importance of maintaining the public's trust in our electoral system and upholding the fundamental principles of fairness and transparency in all we do.
Flathead Elections Department
