April 07, 2022

Special Commission Proceedings

04-07-2022

The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in Special session on Monday, April 07, 2022, in the Carter County Commission Board Meeting Room of the Carter County Courthouse at 214 Park Street in Ekalaka, Montana. Present were Steve Rosencranz, Vice Chair and Mike Watkins, Member. Chairman; Rod Tauck was absent.

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 am by Chairman Steve Rosencranz.

There was no public comment.

Persons in attendance included Representative Jerry Schillinger, Representative Bob Phalen, I.T. expert Mark Cook, Election Administrator Pam Castleberry, Assistant Election Administrator Judy Wright and Robin Kuntz.

Mr. Cook gave a history of voter machine systems in the US. Including what companies provide services to run the programs involved in the operating systems.

He also spoke to the software updates and current standards of operation, and the 2020 election. He is in the process of developing systems to improve the voter counting systems and welcomes any input on how best to met those goals.

Pam Castleberry, Carter County Election Administrator, finds that the systems used in smaller Counties such as ours is well thought out and carried out to the letter of the law. Poll books are made in house, the signatures of voters are hand verified. There is a Canvas board that checks votes following the election.

Mr. Cook recommended that everyone look into the processes and the systems used to tabulate votes and the companies running said systems. He would like to bring awareness to the legislation set forth to run elections and recommends that as much as possible the process be kept in house and by hand. 

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 pm.

Board of County Commissioners

Carter County, Montana

Attest: s/ Steve Rosencranz                               Attest: s/ Pamela J Castleberry

Steve Rosencranz, Chairman                                                      Clerk of the Board