Elections

This year I have been working part time in the elections office.  About a year ago the county commissioners separated elections from the clerk and recorders office, so a new positon was created for the election administrator.  This jobs runs the elections plus takes care of the phone system and computer system.  It is an office of one person.

Back in April the election administrator asked if I could help stuff envelopes for the primary election as she had to get her absentee ballots mailed out.  No problem I can sit at my desk and stuff envelopes.  This is what I get for helping.  The commissioners asked my boss and I if I would be willing to help out in the elections office for this election cycle.  It was no problems as long as I got all my work for the schools done first.

Gary and I had booked a trip to Las Vegas for November so I would not be available to work on election night in November. 

Most of my time is spent entering registered voters into the system and updating voter information.  I have access to everything on my computer in my office.  Works out well as my office is very quiet and not so busy, so I can get a bunch of registrations entered.  A whole different story in the elections office.

As it got closer to election time I worked part time for the schools and the other part for elections. Made for very fast days, especially when we had to get the absentee ballots out.  Fortunately we were able to at least prep all the envelopes about a week ahead, then just insert the ballots.  It went smooth, only about 150 to get ready at the last minute.  Had to get the regular absentee ballots out on Oct. 9.

After Oct. 9, then the elections office had to stay open from 8-5, worked out good.  My mornings were spent with schools, then afternoons spent in elections.  It was pretty steady the first half of October, then the last half things were really busy.

Three counties in Montana were sued by a group because the counties wouldn't open up satellite offices for late registrations and people picking up their ballots.  Big Horn, Rosebud and Blaine Counties were sued in federal court.  The election administrator here had to prepare for that so I worked many hours in elections.  For the two days while she was in federal court, I worked the office.  The judge dismissed the case based on the fact that nothing was proved in court that votered were disenfranchised.  The was the week before the election.  All that is left is to verify the provisional ballots and get the canvass done.

It sure has been a learning experience and I learned alot about the behind the scenes in elections.  Hopefully the county will hire another person for elections (not me).