HELENA, Mont. — The collaboration among the Montana Election Team is stronger than ever before.
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen said it was an honor for the Secretary of State’s Office to provide updates on the partnership between state and local election officials during this week’s State Administration and Veterans’ Affairs (SAVA) interim committee.
On Friday, the Secretary of State’s Office highlighted the recent Election Administrator Certification training event in Helena. The Montana Election Team – more than 140 election workers from across the state – attended the three-day event.
Secretary Jacobsen recognized election administrators and their staff and shared her appreciation following the training.
“I’m grateful to our state and local election officials for the work they do each day to provide safe, secure, transparent, and accessible elections for all Montanans,” Secretary Jacobsen said. “Voters rely on the Montana Election Team, from the Secretary of State’s Office to the county election administrators and the election workers, and we’re honored to serve them as we prepare for the upcoming 2024 elections.”
County election officials echoed that sentiment, praising the Secretary of State’s Office in a survey conducted after the event.
“I have been to several of these trainings, and this training has been the best so far,” wrote one county election official. “Nicely done!”
“It was one of the best conferences that I have been to since I have taken office,” wrote another. “Great training, thank you!”
“This was the best conference that (the Secretary of State’s Office) has ever had,” added another. “It was set up great.”
Several of the survey responses repeated Secretary Jacobsen in her welcome remarks to the conference, highlighting the partnership between Montana’s state and local election officials.
“The collaboration between (Election Administrators) and the Secretary of State’s Office (is what I enjoyed most),” said one county election official. “It feels more like everyone is on the same page than it has in years.”
“I really felt the SOS was trying to help us realize that we are doing a good job and our jobs are important,” added another. “Thank you.”
“(What I enjoyed most) was the camaraderie with other EAs and the SOS election staff,” wrote another.
Planning is already under way for the 2026 Election Administrator Certification training event, as both state and local officials look forward to raising the bar even higher and making it even better.
