County Commissioners, Great Falls Public Schools officials and the interim county election administrator met Jan. 4 to discuss the May school board election.

Opening the meeting, Commissioner Rae Grulkowski said they could start with questions the GFPS officials may have.

Superintendent Tom Moore and GFPS Business Operations Manager Brian Patrick participated in the meeting.

School board members Gordon Johnson and Paige Turoski also attended.

Moore said the district appreciates the conversation and that Patrick has spent time organizing what needs to be done to conduct the May 7 election.

Their goal is to have a well-run election this year, he said.

County appoints Biddick as election administrator

The district has contracted with the county elections office for years to run school elections that have been successful in the past, but “this last year had some difficulty from our perspective,” Moore said.

He said the district is hoping for improved communication between the entities for the May 2024 election.

Patrick said he’d appreciated the communication from Dev Biddick, interim election administrator, over the past year and hopes that continued.

Patrick told commissioners and Biddick that the school board will consider several items during their Jan. 8 meeting pertaining to the election.

They’re operating on a timeline set by state law, he said.

The school board will review a resolution calling for a resolution, a request that the election be conducted by mail and a request for the county elections office to conduct the May 2025 school election, which has to be requested in advance.

County officials continuing discussion on moving election duties

Patrick said that he wanted to make sure the details were correct for the county so they could make changes if necessary before the board’s Jan. 8 meeting.

He said that candidates have been able to file with him at the school district office or the county elections office.

There’s one school board seat on the ballot and so far, two candidates have filed. That means the district can’t cancel the election by acclamation unless a candidate drops out.

So far, Marlee Sunchild, the incumbent, and Rodney Meyers, who ran for a board seat previously, have filed for the May election.

Patrick said that he belongs to the Montana Association of School Business Officials and they conduct a training annually with staff from the Montana Office of Public Instruction. He said it’s a five-hour training that was recorded and he was happy to share it with the county elections office.

County Commission votes to strip election duties from clerk and recorder’s office

GFPS has a contract on file for the county to conduct the May 2024 election.

The school board will consider a request for the county elections office to conduct the May 2025 election and once the board makes the formal request, the county will review it.

Patrick said GFPS had looked into their options for running their own election and had been working with county staff to draft the new language.

Grulkowski asked Biddick what they know about school board elections and their ability to conduct the May election.

Biddick was working in the elections office during the May 2023 school election.

GFPS preparing for next election

She said her concerns would be staffing and costs.

The elections office has hired more staff since the May 2023 school board election and conducted a June library election and a November municipal election.

Patrick reminded the county that the costs are passed on to the school district for the election.

The county must also conduct the election for a commissioner on the West Great Falls Flood Control and Drainage District.

County certifies November municipal election

Those who own property between I-15 and 6th Street Southwest between the Sun River and the railroad yard are eligible to file for that election by Feb. 12, according to the district.

GFPS has estimated the cost of their May election to be $45,000.

Biddick said election judge training is scheduled for March.

Merchant responds to GFPS letter asking that elections duties be removed from her office

The district’s resolution calling for a May election names their election judges.

If the school board opts for a levy, that must also go on the May ballot.

The board’s budget committee meets Jan. 11 to discuss the upcoming GFPS budget and funding options.

Grulkowski said she was concerned because the elections office has deadlines they’re “scrambling” to meet for the Montana Secretary of State. She didn’t specify what those deadlines are.

Commissioner Joe Briggs said, “we have a contract that we need to honor that covers this election.”