Testimony Focusing on: Missoula County Elections Office, Ballot Tabulators

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on tabulation practices and proposed equipment  purchases in Missoula County. As members of the Missoula County Election Advisory Committee,  we take seriously our role as a public liaison between County residents and elected officials, and  as advocates for fair, robust, trustworthy, and inclusive elections. Advisory committees like ours  are unique in the world of elections administration – a demonstration of the County’s  commitment to civic participation and democratic equity. It is in our advisory capacity, therefore,  that we offer advice and the following recommendations: 

1. It is our recommendation that Missoula County transition from precinct-based ballot  tabulation to a central count process  

2. The budget that could be applied to the purchase of new DS200 precinct level tabulators  should instead be directed towards election outreach and inclusion practices as well as  other election office priorities.