Paula Buff says ending absentee ballots would “devastate” Flathead County budget
Election administrator Paula Buff told commissioners the FY27 budget anticipates equipment replacements and that eliminating absentee (mail) voting would sharply raise per‑ballot costs and slow results; she outlined how special school and special‑purpose elections are billed and reimbursed to make those costs net zero.
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Paula Buff, Flathead County election administrator, presented the election office’s FY27 budget at the May 12 commissioners’ meeting and cautioned that major procedural changes at the state or federal level could sharply increase local costs. "If [absentee voting] were to happen and we were to go to a polling place election for all elections...it would be devastating for the county budget," Buff said.
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