Flathead County has made the decision to proceed with a poll election for the upcoming general election on Nov. 3, as opposed to using an all mail-ballot election that several Montana counties have opted for amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an email from Flathead County Election Office Manager Monica Eisenzimer, there “will have to be changes to polling places and we are currently recruiting election judges who are comfortable working during this pandemic.”

Eisenzimer also said a new list of polling stations should be released soon and in the meantime, the county’s website has absentee ballot request forms and voter registration applications the Election Office is “encouraging voters to use sooner than later.”

About 67% of Flathead County’s nearly 61,000 active voters are already voting absentee and those who are not can request to change their status through the county’s website.

A public meeting was never called on the matter because the Flathead County commissioners unanimously, but separately, told election officials they wished to proceed with a poll election. In-person polls are considered “business as usual” for Flathead County and discussion surrounding the election process would have made it onto the commissioners’ agenda for consideration only if two of the three commissioners had expressed interest in moving to go the mail-in ballot instead.

“Since we all decided we didn’t want to do something out of the ordinary, that’s why there was no need for a public meeting,” Commissioner Randy Brodehl said. “This is how it’s usually been.”

He said although there was no public meeting, they have received a large volume of calls and emails from residents regarding election methods. Brodehl said most of those who have made contact with him have pushed for a poll election.

Commissioners Pam Holmquist and Phil Mitchell both said it was partially a matter of fulfilling a promise that was made to the public after they voted in March to make the June 2 primary election an all-mail election.

“We hesitated then, quite frankly, and we said we were only going to do this [mail-in voting] once,” Holmquist said. “We are sticking to our word.”

Mitchell added the decision in March to move to a mail ballot for the primary election was primarily made because COVID-19 had started to “take off.” But he said the county is following directives from the state and they are confident they can continue adhering to guidelines with a poll election.

“There are certain parameters to follow and we believe we can still follow those and do as we are told,” Mitchell said.

The commissioners decided to move forward with a poll election despite other counties making the move to all-mail ballots. For example, Lake County commissioners unanimously voted earlier this week to switch to a mail ballot for the general election, and Gallatin County commissioners did the same Tuesday morning.

But while some counties have already made the leap, others are still undecided. In Lincoln County for example, the election administrator and local health leaders recently recommended the commissioners allow all-mail voting — a suggestion they are still mulling over, according to The Western News.

Although the decision by Flathead County seems firm, the commissioners technically have until Aug. 25 to change their minds, should they decide to pivot to an all-mail ballot.

For more information about the general election, absentee ballots, voter registration and volunteer opportunities, go to https://flathead.mt.gov/election/

Reporter Kianna Gardner can be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com