Whitefish voters will mail it in

Northwest Montana News Network

Whitefish is switching to mail elections this year.

The Whitefish City Council voted 4-2 on Monday to do away with polling places for city elections. Mayor Mike Jenson said he also supported all-mail elections.

Council members Turner Askew and Nancy Woodruff voted in opposition. Both referred to problems with the mail election in 2007 and said they like the community feel of people voting in person at polling places.

"I appreciate the history of polling places, but look at the higher turnout," council member Ryan Friel said.

Council member Nick Palmer said he contacted the Flathead County Election Department to get some hard numbers.

He said turnout in 2007 was 125 percent higher and problems resulted from residents moving without informing officials and a 'snafu" at the post office, which has now been resolved.

"People need to vote to have a stake in the process," he said.

While he likes polling places, council member Frank Sweeney said the focus should be on increasing participation.

He noted that the higher cost of all-mail elections works out to be about the same as polling places when divided by the number of voters participating.