I became an active Montana voter in Whitefish in 2002. In 2006, my husband and I bought our log cabin in Coram, to which we moved in 2007. We were married and I changed my name in 2008, and then I updated my driver’s license in 2009. Later in 2009, we purchased the Stonefly Lounge and its liquor license, and I underwent the requisite review by the Montana Departments of Revenue and Justice.

Despite these four interactions with various county agencies, I was never prompted to nor given the opportunity to update my voter registration. So from 2007 to 2011, I dutifully showed up and voted at my precinct in Whitefish, not just twice, but six times. In 2012, of my own volition, I updated my voter registration. That was two election cycles ago, and I have voted in three elections in my precinct since then.

The term “illegal voting” and the picture painted of my intent is merely a construct by my opponent’s party leadership. The front-page headline was meant to cloud the issues and confuse the voters of Flathead County. The bottom line is, this is not a case of a malicious intent to affect elections in Whitefish. Election judges verified my Coram address and gave me a ballot at my Whitefish precinct, even after my official address changed.

Isn’t it interesting the amount of time my opponent and his party leadership spend on the topic of the Whitefish doughnut? The fate of the Whitefish doughnut has been determined, and the people of Flathead County are ready to move forward. I’m sure not coincidentally, the day that Republican Party leadership cast these allegations at me, I publicly asked my opponent in a letter “in the coming years, county leaders will need to do the work of repairing and rebuilding the relationship between the county and the city of Whitefish. What role do you see yourself playing in this process?” This is an important question, and residents of all three municipalities in our county should expect a reasoned response.

Flathead County Republican Party chairman Jayson Peters stated that he brought these “facts” to light in an effort to “level the playing field” in this race for Flathead County Commissioner. Voters, wouldn’t it be nice if a party fielding a candidate for public office made an effort to elevate the quality of their own candidate instead of endeavoring to tear down their worthy opposition?

Stacey Schnebel, of Coram, is the Democratic candidate for Flathead County Commissioner.