Commission approves polling-place designations after residents urge return of neighborhood polling sites

The Yellowstone County Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution 23-88 designating polling places after a staff update and extended public comment in which several residents urged restoring more neighborhood polling sites rather than consolidating many precincts at the Metra.

Kevin Gellan of the county Elections Department updated the board on site visits carried out since the prior meeting. Gellan said staff looked at multiple potential West End locations — including Emmanuel Baptist Church, the zoo, a new medical college on Shiloh Road, Faith Chapel, Freedom Church, and MSUB — but found constraints such as limited meeting space, parking or ongoing transitions that currently prevent a single site from accommodating the precincts proposed to move from Metro to the West End. "We don't want to wait if we can at all possible. We'd like to move forward or know what we're doing one way or the other with the initial resolution of intent," Gellan said, while also noting the county could amend the resolution if a workable West End site is later found.

Public comment was strongly focused on voter convenience and access. A speaker identified as Sabrestini called "40 polling places at the Metra is unacceptable," arguing centralization forces more driving, worsens weather- and parking-related access problems, and can discourage voters. Several other residents — including Kelly Richardson, Pam Purinton, John Barsteller, Lee Deming and others — urged the county to use community schools, churches and centers to serve smaller precincts and to increase volunteer recruitment for poll-worker staffing. Richardson said returning voting to local precincts would "add confidence back to our communities" and contrasted in-person neighborhood voting with concerns about mail or absentee security.

Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and clarified current locations for some precincts (for example, some precincts vote at Yellowstone Valley Electric). Commissioner Jones said the West End option "does make sense" and moved approval of Resolution 23-88 to designate polling places as presented; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Commissioners said they will continue to search for suitable West End locations, amend the resolution if needed, and try to offer voters more local options in future elections.

The meeting record shows the board approved the resolution and then returned to routine business, including approval of claims and the consent agenda.

Provenance: staff update and polling-place testimony begin with the tabled polling-place item and staff update, and public comments on this topic run through the subsequent public-comment blocks before the motion to approve the resolution.