Cascade County commissioners are scheduled to vote on whether to remove election duties from the clerk and recorder’s office. The move to strip the duties from the office comes after a year of lawsuits and allegations of misconduct directed at the current election administrator.
Two of three commissioners agreed to put the resolution on their next agenda for consideration. The commissioners would hire a dedicated election administrator who would work under their supervision if the resolution passes.
Election duties currently fall to clerk and recorder Sandra Merchant. She narrowly ousted a longtime incumbent last year and in that time has faced calls to resign.
Great Falls Public Schools trustees in September penned a letter to county commissioners asking them to take over election duties. The trustees cited communication issues with Merchant during their election earlier this year.
Merchant’s elections office posted a statement on its website accusing the commissioners of attempting to “nullify” the votes of those who put her in office.
Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the issue at their Tuesday meeting.
- Secretary of state sought to sway Cascade County election administrator vote
- Cascade County commissioners choose a new election administrator
- Cascade County appoints interim elections administrator
- Cascade County remains without an elections administrator
- Cascade County Commission votes to shift election duties to a nonpartisan administrator
