Published April 4, 2023
Position Details
Position Title: Elections Administrator
County: Lincoln
Department: Clerk & Recorder’s Office
Salary or Pay Rate: $30.05 after 6 months $30.67
Closing Date: 5:00 p.m. on Friday April 14, 2023
Position Description
Summary
Lincoln County is seeking to hire an elections Administrator. This position manages the voter registration system in Lincoln County; plans, organizes, and conducts elections in the county to comply with state election laws and statutes and supervises all other operations and activities of the County Election Office. The Election Administrator is an employee of the office and falls under the supervision of the Clerk & Recorder. The Election Administrator keeps the Clerk & Recorder informed of all election activities. All Clerk & Recorder personnel are trained by the Election Administrator on election tasks and processes.
Essential Functions
Nature of Work
- The County Elections Administrator plans, organizes, coordinates, and manages
Federal, State, and County elections and all facets of the voter registration processes in
accordance with Montana State Law, including administrative direction from the Montana
Secretary of State. The Election Administrator also conducts elections for other governmental
entities that may contract with the County for election services. - Manages plans and directs highly technical election activities including ballot design and layout,
equipment preparation and testing, develops, conducts, and facilitates a complex schedule of
training workshops for election staff to ensure familiarity with election laws and regulations.
Includes staff assignments, selection of polling places, oversight for absentee voting, late
registration, and the overall management of local, State and Federal elections.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Reviews, interprets, and implements complex laws, regulations, and policies (local, State and Federal)
that vary for each election, change continually, and relate to the voting process, candidate
requirements, campaign finance disclosure process, accessibility issues and other activities relating to
the election process. - Serves as the elections department manager; supervises staff, directly and indirectly related to
elections. Responsible for employee development and training within the elections department. - Develops and oversees the elections department budget. Oversees and manages receipts and
expenditures to meet strategic goals. - Plans and organizes customer service procedures. Takes steps to improve service to electors and to the
public; responds to complaints. Provides guidance and direct assistance to staff encountering difficult
problems or customer confrontations, related to elections. - Maintains a current knowledge of voter registration and election rules and policies set by the State of
Montana, the Secretary of State’s Office, and the Federal Election Commission. Communicates pertinent
information to Board of County Commissioners, and personnel. - Monitors the acceptance and verification petitions in accordance with statutory guidelines. Providing
required results to the Montana Secretary of State and Board of County Commissioners pursuant to
Montana State Law. - Prepares materials for meetings with Board of County Commissioners and provides information to
the public. - Provides information and handles correspondence with public, candidates for office, media, and
representatives of other political subdivisions or government agencies. - Develops election plans and plans for citizen participation in elections. Oversees projects related to
the conduct of elections and develops procedures to implement changes in election procedures and
to manage information and communication flow. - Prepares news releases, fact sheets and other informational materials. Develops policies, procedures,
posters, flyers, graphics, and videos to support communications within the department. Reports election
activities and schedules to the Board of County Commissioners.
Scope of Responsibility
- Develops and implements procedures for all aspects of elections.
- Ensures that all applicable regulations are met, legal notices are properly posted.
- Verifies declarations of nominations for candidates required to file at the county level.
- Designs ballot layout and proper rotations; oversees printing of ballots.
- Conducts absentee voting process, receiving ballots by mail or in person.
- Sets up computer program for each election.
- Conducts testing of ballot scanners and ballot marking devices to ensure accuracy.
- Communicates in person, by telephone, and in writing with state and local officials, candidates, news media representatives, voters, and the general public on matters concerning election responsibilities.
- Hires election judges and part-time employees as required.
- Provides state mandated election judge certification training for as many as 120 election judges.
- Maintains equipment for polling places in good working order.
- Manages personnel related to election work.
- Determines administrative and technical support needs and services for the election department and confers with county department heads and elected officials to discuss long-range planning and use of available county staff and resources for elections and assistance.
- Participates as assigned in a continuing program of office modernization, including the establishment, maintenance and updating of computer systems for improved elections department operation.
- Conducts extensive research of local, state and federal laws to develop an annual election calendar.
- Works with media organizations in the county to provide elections information as requested.
- Interprets and applies departmental rules, policies and regulations in accordance with prescribed procedures and guidelines.
- Conducts a program of public education concerning election processes and procedures through meetings, speeches, and attendance at various organizational conferences.
- Conducts research to stay current on new elections technologies and to determine their applicability to county elections policies, procedures and practices.
- Supervises and orders supplies for county mail service.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- Register/Cancel voters – maintain county voter list.
- We currently have approx. 3500+ voters that have to be contacted in regard to their legal address. These voters need to be tied to gee-enabled elections.
- Daily maintenance in Total Address defining address points to precincts (close to 7000 addresses).
- Assist with implementation of procedures for all aspects of elections to comply with SOS rules and MCA regulations.
- Daily calls with SOS for ElectMT.
- New member of the METAC team.
- MLIA Grant Secondary Project Manager. Work closely with GIS consultant to help implement address location points for Lincoln County gee-enabled for elections. Work on boundary lines of precincts & districts.
- Assist with set-up and run elections.
- Assist with Election Judge training and implementing forms to be used.
- Assist with 2023 NVRA process.
- Assist with upcoming school elections.
- Assist with upcoming Municipal Elections.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree preferred, or in lieu of degree, five (5) years’ experience in a management position involving public contact, preferably in an election’s office; or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.
- Must be a qualified voter of the State of Montana.
- Must possess a valid Montana Driver’s License or the ability to obtain on within six months.
- A comprehensive knowledge of election laws, elections department processes and procedures.
- Modern office procedures, practices, and equipment.
- Modern office filing systems and procedures.
- Modern standard bookkeeping principles, practices and procedures.
- Operations and functions of county government.
- Safety rules, procedures and practices.
Working Environment
- The work requires occasional heavy lifting (up to 45lbs.) and periods of strenuous physical demand to conduct training sessions. Requires occasional travel, locally and out of town to meetings and training. Most work performed in an office or business setting but requires visits to remote polling places that may involve walking over rough and uneven terrain.
Application Instructions
Please read APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS very carefully:
- Letter of Interest
- Resume
- Public Sector Application
Email libbyjsc@mt.gov or call 406-293-6282 to request an application. Application packets are also available at Job Service-Libby
Completed applications must be submitted to Job Service -Libby, by e-mail, fax, postal mail or delivered to:
Job Service Libby
417 Mineral Avenue, Suite 4
Libby, MT 59923
libbyjsc@mt.gov
For questions on this position or on the application process, please call (406) 293-6282 or e-mail libbyjsc@mt.gov.