OUR RESPONIBILITES MAKE SURE EVERY CITIZEN OF VOTING AGE RESIDING IN MONTANA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE MAINTAIN HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY IN THE ELECTION PROCESS SEE THAT EVERY POLLING PLACE IS ACCESSIBLE MAKE SURE THE PROCESS USES TAX PAYER DOLLARS WISELY
TODAY, THE RESOLUTION AND DECISION IS CONSOLIDATING 8 PRECINCTS AND CHANGING PRECINCT BOUNDARY DESCIPTIONS TO CLEAN UP THE PRECINCT LINES. NEXT TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, WILL BE THE RESOLUTION AND DECISION ON LOCATING POLLING PLACES.
EACH LEGISLATIVE YEAR, IT SEEMS THAT ANOTHER ELECTION LAW IS BORN (AT FEDERAL AND/OR STATE LEVELS) NO-EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING HELP AMERICAN VOTE ACT AMERICANS WITH DISABLITIES ACT PROVISIONAL VOTING PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTERS LATE REGISTRATION POST ELECTION AUDITS NEW SECURITY LOGS AND PROCEDURES IMPLEMENTED BY SECRETARY OF STATE. IN TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CITIZENS TO VOTE, THE PROCESS ITSELF HAS BECOME VERY COMPLEX
NEED MORE CONTROL OVER THE POLLING PLACES ON ELECTION DAY, THE VOTERS AT THE POLLING PLACES ARE NOT THE CENTER OF FOCUS ANYMORE. IT S WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE FRONT COUNTER IN THE ELECTION OFFICE. CONDUCTING 3 ELECTIONS ON SAME DAY ABSENTEE VOTING POLLING PLACE VOTING LATE DAY REGISTRATION
COSTS HAVE SKYROCKETED COST OF GENERAL ELECTION 2006 $104, 178 COST OF GENERAL ELECTION 2008 -- $229,884 HAVE 2.5 WELL TRAINED EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IN THE OFFICE BRING IN TEMPS ON ELECTION DAY TO ANSWER PHONES. BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION USING OUR STATEWIDE VOTER DATABASE SOFTWARE, THE TEMPS NEED MORE TRAINING THAN THE ELECTION JUDGES THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP.
HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PHONE LINES AND TEMP HELP TO PROPERLY ANSWER CALLS FROM JUDGES AT THE POLLING PLACE ELECTION JUDGES MUST BE TRAINED AND CERTIFIED BEFORE THEY CAN WORK AT THE POLLING PLACE CHIEF JUDGES AND PROVISIONAL JUDGES NEED MUCH MORE TRAINING THAN REGULAR JUDGES
MORE VOTERS ARE CHOOSING TO BE PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTERS 182 PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTERS IN 2006 10,001 PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTERS IN 2008 16, 276 PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTERS TODAY
MORE PEOPLE ARE VOTING BY MAIL AND LESS ARE VOTING AT THE POLLS FROM 2006 TO 2008 NUMBER OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAST WENT FROM 28% TO 46%. FROM 2006 TO 2008 NUMBERS VOTING AT THE POLLING PLACE WENT DOWN FROM 69% TO 53%. NUMBER OF ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS IS LOWER THAN THE 2006 LEVEL. -- WENT FROM 46,222 IN 2006 TO 51,692 IN 2008 AND TODAY IS 45,859. INCREASED CONCERNS FOR THE SECURITY OF THE BALLOTS AND THE ACCURACY OF THE EQUIPMENT
IN THE 2009 LEGISTATIVE SEASON, THE CLERK & RECORDER ASSOCIATION TRIED TO GET TWO BILLS PASSED THAT WOULD GIVE COUNTIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT FEDERAL PRIMARY & GENERAL ELECTIONS BY MAIL BALLOT (PRECINCTS WOULD NOT NEED TO BE CONSOLIDATED) BOTH BILLS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL BY THE TIME THE LEGISLATURE WAS OVER WE WERE INTO OUR SCHOOL ELECTIONS WHICH LASTED INTO JULY.
BEFORE THE SCHOOL ELECTIONS WERE COMPLETED, MUNICIPAL CANDIDATE FILING STARTED MAY 4 TH MUNICPAL ELECTIONS WERE NOT COMPLETED UNTIL MID- NOVEMBER CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD THIS YEAR IS 10 DAYS EARLIER THAN IN 2008 ELECTION THIS 2010 ELECTION HAS NO SENATE RACE, NO STATEWIDE RACE, AND HISTORICALLY A NON-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR HAS A LOWER VOTER TURNOUT IT IS A GOOD ELECTION YEAR TO DO THE CONSOLIDATION.
PRIMARY ELECTION 2014 WOULD BE FIRST ELECTION AFTER REDISTRICTING EVERYONE REMEMBERS THAT GALLATIN COUNTY MADE NATIONAL NEWS DURING THE LAST TWO BIG FEDERAL GENEAL ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS-- 2006 AND 2008 LET S DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE 2012 IS NOT ANOTHER NATIONAL NEWS EVENT LET S MODIFY THE PROCESS NOW SO WE CAN BETTER SERVE THE VOTERS IN THE PRESIDENTAL ELECTION OF 2012
SAME HOUSE DISTRICT SAME COMMISSION DISTRICT ONE BOUNDARY LINE TOUCHING LOCATION OF AN ACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACE REQUEST TO KEEP VOTERS ON SOUTHSIDE VOTING ON THE SOUTHSIDE AND SAME WITH THE NORTHSIDE OF BOZEMAN
NUMBER OF ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS MINUS THE ABSENTEE VOTERS IN SOME PRECINCTS IF 100% OF THE REMAINING ACTIVELY REGISTERED VOTES IN THE TWO COMBINED PRECINCTS CAME TO THE POLLS, THE NUMBER IS CLOSE TO THE SAME NUMBER OF ACTIVE VOTERS IN ONE OF THE PRECINCTS
FOCUS ON BOZEMAN AND BELGRADE PRECINCTS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM PRECINCTS MORE CONSOLIDATION IN THOSE PRECINCTS WOULD GIVE BETTER CONTROL AND THE MOST COST SAVINGS
SAVE 46 JUDGES THAT COULD BE USED AT OTHER PRECINCTS OR ALLOW MORE JUDGES BE ABLE TO WORK AN 8 HOUR DAY INSTEAD OF 16 HOURS SAVE ON PROGRAMMING CHARGES REDUCE NUMBER OF BALLOT FACES (MORE SAVINGS IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION) EASIER BALLOT ROTATIONS FEWER AUTOMARKS (STILL AT LEAST ONE PER POLLING PLACE)
SAVE ONE 2-DAY UHAUL RENTAL TRUCK AND 4 TEMPORARY WORKERS TO DO THE DELIVERY AND PICK-UP SAVE ON SUPPLIES & OVERTIME TO ORGANIZE THE SUPPLIES RETIRE 5 AUTOMARKS ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COSTS AND COSTS TO TEST THE MACHINES RESTAFF POLLING PLACES WITH MULTIPLE PRECINCTS CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATING $15,000-$16,000 SAVINGS PER ELECTION (ACTUALLY MORE IN A PRIMARY BECAUSE 2 BALLOT FACES REQUIRED FOR EACH PRECINCT.)
POLLING PLACES THAT COULD HANDLE LARGER CROWDS MORE PARKING MORE CONSISTENCY IN VOTING PROCESS BY USING SAME RESOURCES INSTEAD OF DUPLICATING THE RESOURCES EVERY VOTER AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE WILL RECEIVE A LETTER GIVING NEW PRECINCT, POLLING PLACE, AND ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO VOTING AT THE POLLS. REGISTERED VOTERS WHO ARE INACTIVE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO REACTIVATE REGISTRATION WILL INCREASE ABSENTEE VOTING THEREFORE INCREASING VOTER TURNOUT
PRECINCTS 5 & 6 WILL NOW BECOME PRECINCT 5. AFTER THE ICE GARDENS CHANGED OWNERSHIP, THE POLLING PLACE TEMPORARILY LOCATED AT ZOOT ENTERPRISES. NO OTHER POLLING LOCATION.
PRECINCTS 10 & 11 WILL NOW BECOME PRECINCT 10. OUR ELECTION SOFTWARE MAKES IT EASY TO HAVE ONE PRECINCT WITH PORTIONS OF THE PRECINCT IN AND OUT OF THE CITY LIMITS. BY COMBINING THESE TWO PRECINCTS, WE WILL ONLY HAVE TWO SETS OF JUDGES IN THE MANHATTAN HIGH SCHOOL GYM INSTEAD OF 3. THE MANHATTAN SUPERINTENDENT HAS ASKED US TO REMOVE ALL OUR PRECINCTS FROM THE SCHOOL GYM BECAUSE THEY USE IT FOR CLASSES. WE ARE BEING RELOCATED TO 2 SMALLER AREAS.
PRECINCTS 12 & 13 WILL BECOME PRECINCT 13. THE POLLING PLACES FOR BOTH THESE PRECINCTS ARE AT THE RIVER ROCK COMMUNITY CENTER. BY COMBINING THE PRECINCTS INTO ONE, WE CAN BETTER SET UP THE FACILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE VOTERS. WE CAN SET THE ENTIRE POLLING PLACE UP FOR VOTERS ALPHABETICALLY INSTEAD OF BY PRECINCT. IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE VOTERS AND TO RECONCILE AFTER POLLS CLOSE. ALL VOTERS CAN PUT THEIR BALLOTS IN A COMMON BALLOT BOX OR PRECINCT COUNTER INSTEAD OF AT EACH PRECINCT TABLE.
PRECINCTS 22 & 23 WILL BECOME PRECINCT 23. PRECINCT 23 CURRENTLY VOTES AT THE MSU STADIUM. WE HAD PROBLEMS USING SACAWEJA MIDDLE SCHOOL IN NOVEMBER 2008. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THIS PRECINCT VOTING ON THE SOUTHSIDE IS TO COMBINE IT WITH 23. PRECINCT 32 HAS PORTIONS OF PRECINCT 34 IN IT. THIS WILL CLEAN UP THE PRECINCT MAPS FOR CANDIDATES AND VOTERS. EVERYONE WITHIN THE OUTSIDE BOUNDARY OF PRECINCT 32 WILL NOW VOTE IN PRECINCT 32.
PRECINCTS 34 & 35 WILL BECOME PRECINCT 34. BOTH OF THESE PRECINCTS NOW VOTE AT THE MSU STADIUM. IN NON-PRESIDENTIAL YEARS, PRECINCT 35 HAS 3% OR LESS VOTER TURNOUT. CONSOLIDATING THESE PRECINCTS ALLOW US TO ARRANGE THE FACILITY TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF THE VOTERS AND GIVE US FLEXIBILITY TO BETTER HANDLE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. IN THE 2008 GENERAL ELECTION, 51% OF THE VOTERS IN PRECINT 34 VOTED ABSENTEE.
PRECINCTS 36 & 37 WILL BECOME PRECINCT 37. THE POLLING PLACE FOR PRECINCT 37 IS AT THE MSU STADIUM AND PRECINCT 36 IS AT THE EMERSON CULTURAL CENTER. THE EMERSON IS JUST NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE NEEDS OF A POLLING PLACE. BY JOINING IT WITH PRECINCT 37 IT KEEPS THEIR POLLING PLACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MAIN STREET.
PRECINCT 38 & 39 WILL BECOME PRECINCT 38. WHEN LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE VOTERS IN BOTH PRECINCTS AND THE NUMBER OF VOTERS THAT VOTE ABSENTEE, THE REMAINDER IN EACH PRECINCT IS LOW. (526 + 653) PRECINCT 46 WILL GO AWAY. ISLANDS OF PRECINCT 46 LIE WITHIN PRECINCTS 42, 43, 44, AND 45. THIS WILL CLEAN UP THE PRECINCT MAP FOR CANDIDATES AND VOTERS.
MISSOULA COUNTY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VOTED ON JANUARY 13 TH TO CONSOLIDATE PRECINCTS FROM 102 TO 51 PRECINCTS AND 29 POLLING PLACES. THEY ARE ALSO MOVING THEIR ENTIRE ELECTION OFFICE TO THEIR FAIRGROUNDS FOR THE ENTIRE 30 DAY ABSENTEE PERIOD. YELLOWSTONE COUNTY THEIR PUBLIC HEARING IS FEBRUARY 9 TH. THEY ARE CONSIDERING HAVING 2 PRECINCTS IN EACH OF THEIR 17 HOUSE DISTRICTS AND MOVING THEIR POLLING PLACES TO THE METRA.
TODAY S DECISION CAN BE ALL OR PART OF MY SUGGETION HOWEVER I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO INCORPORATE PRECINCT 46 INTO THE SURROUNDING PRECINCTS SO THE ISLANDS GO AWAY. THEREFORE, THE BOUNDARY CHANGES FOR PRECINCTS 32, 42, 43, 44, 45, AND 46 AS DEFINED IN THIS RESOLUTION WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED.
IDEALLY, MERGING PRECINCT 34 & 35 WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE POCKETS OF PRECINCT 34 THAT ARE WITHIN THE OUTSIDE BOUNDARIES OF PRECINCT 35. IT WOULD ALLOW US TO MAKE BETTER USE OF THE 3 RD FLOOR OF THE STADIUM AND GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY DURING THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.