Cascade County commissioners certify Nov. 7 election results

The results of the November 7 general election have now been certified. On Wednesday the Board of Canvassers, which consists of Cascade County Commissioners Rae Grulkowski, Joe Briggs and Jim Larson voted unanimously to certify the results as presented by the Cascade County Clerk and Recorder's office. The vote was not without controversy.

The final certification was held up one week ago due to inconsistencies between the Secretary of State's record of the number of election ballots issued and those accounted for by the Cascade County Elections Office.

"I cannot reconcile the number of votes counted by the machine to the number of votes registered," said Commissioner Joe Briggs at Wednesday's meeting. "If you've got a document that displays that I would really like to see that. I do not have that document in front of me now that shows the total number of votes run through for the city of Great Falls."

"You have that in the total results by precinct," responded Clerk and Recorder Sandra Merchant. "There is no other report, and according to what the Secretary of State said when I spoke with them, you have the reports that you need to complete the canvass. If you want anything more, if you want to look in ElectMontana, you can request that, but as of now we have met the requirements."

As of Wednesday the total number of ballots cast in Cascade County on Nov. 7 was tabulated at 15,173. The commissioners voted unanimously to certify the election results as reported on Nov. 7.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Cascade County Commissioners certify Nov. 7 election results