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Election administrators urge repeal of continuous-count requirement, citing fatigue and errors
Summary
County election officials urged the House State Administration Committee to pass HB187, which would allow counties to pause overnight ballot counting to reduce worker fatigue and errors; witnesses described long shifts (one county reported 53-hour continuous counting) and proposed guardrails such as an accounting plan filed with the Secretary of State.
Representative Bob Carter told the committee HB187 would remove a statutory requirement that counties count ballots continuously on Election Day, giving counties discretion to pause overnight and resume the next day. "Impaired cognitive ability from lack of sleep is very important," Carter said in his closing remarks, urging the committee to allow administrators flexibility.
Multiple county election officials testified in favor. Bradley Seaman (Missoula County) described errors that…
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