Category Archives: Elections

City reviews language for proposed public safety infrastructure bond ballot language

City Commissioners reviewed draft language for the public safety infrastructure bond during their June 6 meeting. The current proposal is a $21,175,000 infrastructure bond, in addition to the mill levy that commissioners already voted to send to the November ballot. Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the language and whether to send it to the ballot during their June 20

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Library levy approved

Updated at 11 p.m. The library levy has passed, according to preliminary results. As of the 10:53 p.m. preliminary county, there were 7,223 votes for the levy and 6,604 against. It’s unclear how many ballots are left to count, but election staff said they didn’t believe it was enough to change the results. Cascade County elections officials are counting ballots

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Key things to know for the June 6 library election

The library levy election is on June 6. Here’s key things to know. What is the library asking voters to approve? It’s a special election for city voters to decide if they want to amend the city charter to increase the levy for the Great Falls Public Library from the current maximum of two mills to 17 mills. Court hears

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Court hears updates on library levy election

District Court Judge Brenda Gilbert called a hearing on June 1 in the library board’s lawsuit against Sandra Merchant, Cascade County clerk and recorder, over their upcoming levy election. Gilbert said she had scheduled the hearing due to an objection filed on May 31 by the county’s attorney regarding an email sent by the library board’s attorneys on guidance to

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Second lawsuit filed over May 2 elections; monitor files first report with court

A second lawsuit has been filed over the May 2 elections in Cascade County. On May 26, Steve Potts filed suit on behalf of Elliot Merja, Riley Denning, and Timothy and Laurie Miller. The suit is filed against Cascade County, Sandra Merchant, the Fort Shaw Irrigation District and the West Great Falls Flood Control and Drainage District. In the suit,

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GFPS certifies election results, expresses concern with the process

In a 4-3 vote, the Great Falls Public Schools board voted to certify the results of their May 2 election. Superintendent Tom Moore said during the May 22 board meeting that they had requested additional information from Sandra Merchant, the county clerk and recorder, including details on inconsistencies and the cost, but had not yet received a response. He said

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County board certifies May 2 special district elections

The Cascade County canvass board certified all of the May 2 special district elections during a May 19 meeting. The canvass board included County Commissioners Jim Larson and Rae Grulkowski and Clerk of Court Tina Henry. During the meeting, several members of the public asked the board not to accept the results and redo several of the special district elections.

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Court appoints monitor for June 6 library levy election

District Court Judge Brenda Gilbert said during a May 18 hearing that she is appointing a monitor to oversee the Great Falls Public Library levy election that is set for June 6. The library board asked the county earlier this month to appoint a monitor to ensure the election was conducted properly given issues raised of irregularities. Sandra Merchant, the

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Local attorney asks county not to certify results of May 2 special district elections

A local attorney submitted letters to the Cascade County Commissioners on May 18 asking them not to certify the results of the May 2 special district elections and direct another election be conducted. Stephen Potts is representing Elliot Merja and Riley Denning, property owners within the Fort Shaw Irrigation District; as well as Timothy and Laurie Miller, property owners within

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Library election lawsuit hearing moved up to May 18

The court hearing on the Great Falls Public Library’s request for an election monitor has been moved to 3 p.m. May 18. On May 10, the library’s attorney filed for an emergency injunction asking the court to appoint an election monitor for their June 6 levy election based. On May 11, Judge Brenda Gilbert, a district court judge out of

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