Staying Ready: Flathead County Elections Staff Complete State Recertification
Running secure, accurate elections requires constant training and preparation. Last week, all five members of the Flathead County Elections Department—including newly appointed Election Administrator Paula Buff—attended the Montana Election Administrator Certification Summit in Helena from February 23–27 to complete their recertification.
The summit, hosted by the Montana Secretary of State’s Office, brings together election officials from across the state for several days of training focused on election law updates, security protocols, voting system procedures, and best practices for administering elections. Certification ensures that local election administrators stay current with evolving regulations, technology, and security standards that protect the integrity of Montana’s elections.
One of the highlights of this year’s summit was a presentation by Donald Palmer, Chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Palmer oversees the federal agency responsible for supporting election officials nationwide through voting system standards, security guidance, and research on election administration. His presence at the summit provided local officials with valuable insight into national election security efforts and the evolving landscape of election technology.
Training events like this are a critical part of ensuring Montana’s elections remain transparent, secure, and well administered at the local level. For Flathead County’s elections team, the summit also offered an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from other counties and bring back new ideas and tools to serve voters.
Upcoming Elections in Flathead County
With preparations underway for the 2026 election cycle, now is a great time to mark these important dates on your calendar
2026 Special Purpose & School Elections
📅 Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Federal Primary Election
📅 Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Federal General Election
📅 Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Become an Election Judge
Flathead County is also looking for community members interested in serving as Election Judges, the trained volunteers who help staff polling places and ensure voting runs smoothly.
Election Judges attend a 4-hour training session and are paid for their time serving voters on Election Day if selected to be an election judge.
👉 Learn more and sign up to serve:
https://flatheadcounty.gov/department-directory/elections
Community participation is an important part of maintaining strong local elections, and serving as an Election Judge is a great way to be part of the democratic process here in Flathead County.