by Marilyn Wolff, Stevensville
There is no emergency in the county’s election process requiring change and Regina Plettenberg, County Clerk and Recorder, has managed an efficient election process for years. There is only a small extreme group of county Republicans plus State Senator Theresa Manzella firing up their group to align with fears that the 2020 election was stolen. It was not stolen and has been exhaustingly litigated and found meritless (62 cases, 30 dismissed for lack of any evidence). Many of the judges were Trump appointed. Lack of evidence is where we are with Ms. Manzella’s claims. Even Trump’s appointed cybersecurity chief said, “the election was the most secure in American History”.
I resent Ms Manzella and Robert Wallace RCRCC, thinking they represent most citizens in Ravalli County on this matter, that we all “have lost faith in our election process.” There is no evidence. Their claims are simply crazy, political hyperbole and I do not support using taxpayer money to fix something that works just fine. If they find someone deceased on the voter rolls etc, they should contact Ms. Plettenberg’s office and report it. I think Ms. Manzella has the time to do this since she and Senator Ellsworth ignored Department of Revenue warnings and did nothing to stop Montanans from being subject to the largest property tax increases versus corporations and now citizens get a measly two-year rebate for which they have to apply.
Thank you, Commissioners Burrows, Chilcott, and Huls, for pushing back on hand counting ballots, something archaic, expensive, partisan,and ridiculous.