Kalispell Public Schools’ 2022 election faced a number of challenges -- from two candidates disqualified due to residency requirements to 1,700 ballots improperly sent out to residents.

The school board drafted and passed a resolution asking the Flathead County Election Department to run the 2023 school election.

“The county election office, that's what they do, you know, day to day, that's their primary function, and so we think that it would be more efficient and effective for those that specialize in elections to run the election rather than have people who work at a school district,” said KPS business services director Denise Williams.

Other counties like Missoula, Gallatin, Yellowstone, Lewis and Clark and Cascade all run elections for the school districts.

With over 40,000 registered voters who live in the Kalispell school district, the board says the election would be handled better by a professionally trained election staff and automated election machines.

For this year’s election, Williams said school district staff finished counting votes at 1 a.m. after all the votes were submitted.

“I would appreciate it if Flathead County Election Office would at least reach out to their peers and other counties and ask how they do it, at least make an effort to, you know, see how it can be done here,” said Williams.

Flathead County election workers told us due to the upcoming primary election, they were too busy to comment on whether they would run the 2023 school election.

If the county office chooses to run the 2023 election, the school district would pay through the school’s general fund, made up of taxpayer dollars, Williams said.

She said if the office chooses to not participate in the election, the district will have to look into some form of automation.

The average cost for the current certified ballot and voting machines total around $100,000 for a single unit.

District officials question whether that would be the best use of the district’s already limited funding for one yearly election.

“I'm certainly not interested in forcing anyone to do anything, I just would like to see some consideration,” said Williams.