Voters in Kalispell can expect ballots for the upcoming municipal election to arrive via mail.

Kalispell City Council on Monday voted to transition to all mail-in voting for the upcoming Nov. 4 municipal election. 

Councilor Chad Graham made the motion to adopt the change, saying that he has seen waning participation in municipal elections over his three terms on Council. Voters in the city have typically gone to the Flathead County Trade Center to cast ballots unless they made arrangements ahead of time to receive an absentee ballot.   

Kalispell’s most recent election in 2023 saw 263 poll voters, roughly 4% of eligible poll voters, according to Flathead County Election Manager Paula Buff.  

“I feel like you would probably have a better voter turnout if everyone received a ballot in the mail,” she said.  

Councilor Ryan Hunter expressed concerns that votes may not be counted, voters may not be made aware of the change, or that people who favor going to the polls could be disenfranchised from participating.   

But Buff disagreed.  

“I think you’re doing the exact opposite of disenfranchising people. I think you’re reaching out to every single active eligible voter and providing them the opportunity to vote without having to narrow it down to one day in a specific time window.” 

“The only difference is they don’t have a table of nice little old ladies handing them ballots, but it’s the exact same thing,” she added. 

Buff said voters who would still like to vote in-person can come to her office at 290 B N. Main St., where there will be poll booths set up. 

Councilor Sid Daoud adamantly opposed Graham’s motion, arguing that mail-in voting leaves less time for political candidates to persuade voters.  

“There’s something un-American about only doing mail-in voting,” he added.  

Hunter noted that moving to mail-only would mean no more taxpayer money being spent on setting up polls at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.  

Mayor Mark Johnson, who said he hates mail-in only elections, argued that Election Day should be a national holiday.  

“I still go back and remember how many people died to give us this. It wasn’t really convenient for them,” he said.  

The amendment passed with Councilors Jessica Dahlman, Sandy Carlson, Graham, Hunter and Nunnally voting in support. Johnson and Daoud voted in opposition.  

COUNCIL ALSO opted out of giving themselves a pay raise during Monday night’s meeting. 

Graham made a motion to make councilors ineligible for a market-rate-adjusted wage increase. 

“My philosophy on that is that I don’t care about that, because this is an elected position,” he said. 

Daoud echoed that sentiment.  

“This is a service in my mind,” he said.  

The mayor and eight-person body share a combined salary of $63,179, plus health insurance and benefits.  

Councilor Jed Fisher, who was absent from the meeting, was a strong supporter of a pay raise, arguing that it would attract younger potential candidates.  

Dahlman and Carlson voted to approve a wage increase for Council with Daoud, Hunter, Nunally, Graham and Johnson voting against it.  

Appointed officers and nonunion employee salaries were still adjusted with a 4% base adjustment.  

COUNCIL HELD a public hearing regarding adjustments to police and fire impact fees.  

The only public comment came from Kisa Davison, chair of the city’s Business Improvement District and a candidate for mayor.  

She asked that Council not raise fees, arguing that it would hinder affordable housing construction.   

“Let’s not make it harder for our developers, builders, and even our current property owners to do improvements and expand their businesses,” she said.  

Council also approved the creation of three special improvement districts to fund needed water and sewer upgrades at two resident-owned communities.  

The Morning Star and Green Acres communities have applied for grants to pay for the improvements, but costs are expected to exceed the allotted grant amounts.  

Special improvement districts are areas of land where property owners pay an additional tax to fund specific improvements within the district boundaries.  

Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].