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Lincoln County to revise polling-place and drop-box resolution after staff corrections and legal questions
Summary
The board reviewed Resolution 2026‑09 to designate polling places and ballot drop kiosks. Corrections were requested for precinct listings (add 15–16 in Eureka), the Troy drop-box location (Troy Police Department lobby, not City Hall), and handling of mail‑out school elections; legal questions about MCA 13‑9‑307 staffing requirements were raised for further review.
The board considered Resolution 2026‑09 to set Lincoln County’s polling-place locations and to establish ballot drop-kiosk locations and hours. Election staff read the resolution aloud; several factual corrections and legal clarifications were raised during discussion.
Election staff and a commissioner identified three required corrections: add precincts 15 and 16 to the Eureka polling-place listing; correct the Troy ballot drop-kiosk address to the Troy Police Department lobby (the Secretary of State’s listing shows that lobby rather than City Hall); and clarify procedures for all-mail (school) elections, which currently rely on mail return or returns to the election office unless a polling site with judges is provided. Commissioners discussed whether after-hours, 24/7 access to certain recorded dropboxes (closed on election day) should remain in place and whether the county should add the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office lobby to the list; the board voted to add the sheriff’s office kiosk with the same 24-hour availability (closed on election day).
A public commenter (Tony Wickham) cited MCA 13‑9‑307 and argued that state statute designates the election administrator’s authority for drop-box locations and requires staffing by two election officials when a drop site is accessible. Commissioners noted disagreement between the county attorney’s opinion and the statute’s language and said they would research the statutory intent before final adoption. The board opted to make the technical corrections and bring a revised resolution back for final vote at a subsequent meeting.
