While one person complimented the Lincoln County Election Department on its primary Election Day performance at the June 3 county commission meeting, no one publicly spoke about another issue that arose on the eve of June 2.

The problem came to light when Bill Cripe, a Yaak resident, posted at 8:47 p.m. Monday, June 1, on the Libby/Troy Community Connection Facebook page.

He made the following statement: “Wasn’t the Troy ballot drop box supposed to be open until 5 pm? Us and others were trying to drop and it’s locked. My understanding it locked at 3 pm?”

In Cripe’s post, a sheet of paper titled, “Additional Ballot Drop Locations” was shared. It was enclosed with the absentee ballot packs that were scheduled to be mailed to voters on May 8.

The sheet lists drop box locations at Eureka Dispatch, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in Libby, the Troy Police Department and the county Election Center in Libby.

For the first three locations, it states the ballot drop boxes will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week through May 31, 2026, and closing at 5 p.m. on June 1, 2026.

But the resolution, 2026-09, that county commissioners Brent Teske, Jim Hammons and Noel Duram approved March 18, 2026, stated that ballot drop boxes at these locations, “shall be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week until Election Day and shall be closed on Election Day.”

"Resolution 2026-09 reflects the full intention of the Lincoln County Commission with respect to ballot drop box operating hours," county Public Administrator Matt Williams said in a statement to The Western News. "Upon reviewing the minutes and video footage of the public meetings at which this issue was discussed, there is no indication of any change in ballot drop box operating hours authorized by the Commission.

"The decision to deviate from the hours prescribed by Resolution 26-09 was made by the Election Administrator without the prior approval of the County Commission. It is important that the availability of ballot drop boxes be communicated plainly and clearly to the public. The county regrets that this did not happen, and the circumstances surrounding this failure remain under review," Williams said.

Election Administrator Melanie Howell offered her argument for the disparity of when ballot drop boxes would be open.

“Operationally, the Election Office established a closure time of 3 p.m. on June 1 for all ballot drop kiosks,” Howell said in a written statement to The Western News. “This schedule was necessary to allow sufficient time for election staff to retrieve ballots from all kiosk locations, secure and transport those ballots, complete intake procedures, reconcile ballot counts and prepare for Election Day operations. Even a later closure time, such as 5 p.m., would have required staff to continue processing ballots late into the evening prior to Election Day, which would not have allowed adequate time to complete these required security and chain-of-custody procedures.”

Howell acknowledged that the messaging could have been more clear.

“In retrospect, the language in the resolution could have been more specific regarding the operational closure time prior to Election Day,” Howell said. 

Howell argued that the resolution did not specify an hour of closure on June 1.

“Greater clarity would have helped avoid confusion,” Howell said. 

Howell said she believed the notice indicating the 3 p.m. closure was posted on the drop boxes on May 8, the day the absentee ballots were mailed.

"I want to say it was the 8th of May, but I might be off a day or two," Howell said.

Cripe’s post received 42 comments. Some responses instructed Cripe to take his ballots to his polling place. Cripe’s reply was, “for some, it’s 80 mile round trip during a work day.”

Cripe’s last post was, “I was there at 430 pm.”

In a Thursday morning phone call with The Western News, Cripe confirmed that he was at the Troy ballot drop box location at 4:30 p.m. and it was closed.

Another person, Cassandra Tuffey, responded to Cripe’s post,”Same with the Eureka one. We barely made it by 3 p.m. when they apparently were closing it.” Attempts to speak with Tuffey were unsuccessful.

According to information on the county’s Elections page (https://lincolncountymt.gov/), ballot drop off was available at the previously stated locations 24 hours per day, seven days per week, until the day before Election Day and closed on Election Day.

Howell said the notice of the 3 p.m. closure was posted on each ballot drop kiosk prior to the election. 

"Posting a notice on a ballot drop box is insufficient to inform the public of a change in hours, as it presupposes that voters will physically interact with the ballot drop box prior to their need to use it. Further updates will be provided as available," Williams said.

Howell pointed out that voters had other choices for returning ballots.

“It is important to note that voters continued to have ballot return options available on Election Day,” Howell said. “In addition to the Election Office serving as an official place of deposit, ballot boxes were available at all polling locations, allowing voters to return absentee ballots under the supervision of election officials.

“The intent of the closure schedule was to maintain ballot security, ensure accurate ballot accounting, and prepare for Election Day while continuing to provide voters with multiple methods to return ballots,” Howell added.

To drop off ballots at the county Election Center in Libby, hours were 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 30, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Election officials posted the following message at 3:16 p.m. Friday, May 22, on its Lincoln County MT Elections Facebook page: “Please be sure to drop your absentee ballots off at any drop box location. We still have 75% absentee ballots not returned to the election office as of today. We have the following drop box locations: Eureka Law Enforcement Center, Libby Election Office, Libby Sheriffs Office and the Troy Police Department Lobby.”

No mention was made of hours of operation in the post.

In her email to The Western News, Howell attached a photograph of the ballot drop kiosk notice indicating the 3 p.m. closure time on June 1.

“This notice was posted on each ballot drop kiosk prior to the election to inform voters of the operational closure schedule,” she said.

It’s the latest issue involving the beleaguered department.

Howell attended the Feb. 11 commission meeting and proposed closing drop boxes in Troy and at the county sheriff’s office in Libby.

Her reasoning included her interpretation that drop boxes had to be staffed by two election judges from the time ballots were mailed through Election Day.

She projected a staffing cost of $18,683.70 as well as limited usage at Troy and the sheriff’s office.

But the commissioners and some attendees cited concerns over limiting the availability.

At the Feb. 18 meeting, the matter was discussed again.

District 1 Commissioner Brent Teske said that the matter was brought to the county attorney in June 2025. She then told Howell, after looking at the statutes, the drop boxes only needed to be manned on Election Day. That would include a healthy reduction in expenses.

According to meeting minutes, one election judge, Linda Ralph, Howell’s mother, said eliminating underused boxes, particularly in Troy, would streamline operations, reduce costs and have minimal impact on voters.

Troy mayor T.J. Boswell was opposed to removing the drop box in Troy.

He cited calls from constituents, convenience for residents and 24/7 access. He also said the location is secure and there hadn’t been any prior issues, according to sheriff Darren Short.

At this Wednesday’s commissioner meeting, Lincoln County Republican Party President Tony Wickham offered his compliments to the election office’s performance on Election Day. He suggested it would be good to get the public’s thoughts on what they liked and what they would change. He also suggested larger maps at polling locations to help voters identify what precinct they live in.

“That’s good to know,” Hammons replied.

Teske mentioned an issue with the ballot drop box in the sheriff’s office where a voter tried to insert a ballot into another slot that was not meant for ballots.

No mention was made at the commission meeting of the conflicting times at ballot drop box locations.

"Lincoln County takes the lawful, fair and proper conduct of elections very seriously," Williams said. "The county reviews all election-related concerns and complaints brought to its attention, and it is currently reviewing this matter."