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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Montana Quietly Leading The Way<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>by Corey Stapleton<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Bold is in. Drama is king. Audacity is cool.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>But when it comes to managing Montana’s election systems, we have taken a different tack. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Our office has been thoughtful. Quietly, we have improved nearly every aspect of running Montana elections.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>When my administration began in 2017, we changed the name of the Secretary of State’s election division from ‘Election and Government Services’ to ‘Election and Voter Services’. Our changed focus from government to voters was intentional. Every day, we place the interests of voters first.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>For fifteen years, nobody in Montana had been able to solve what to do with the AutoMARK voting kits. Every county clerk in Montana had these aging, bulky election machines which were rarely used. AutoMARKs had never lived up to the hype of adequately serving the disability community.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>We solved the AutoMARK problem. I crafted compromise legislation which bridged the needs of the disability community with an acceptable physical ballot. This was huge. This paved the way for using lighter, modern voting machines in Montana, and we provided money to all 56 counties for purchasing at least one new machine per local precinct.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>That was a big story of compromise you likely never heard.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>This year, we’ve continued to invest money directly into Montana’s local election offices. Every single county has increased security via two-factor authentication, and every county has opportunities (and funding from our Office) to upgrade technology.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>In three short years I have directed $2.6 million to Montana counties. We have increased the security of elections, increased the integrity of mail ballots, promoted high voter turnout, maintained valuable communication and respect with Indian reservations, and worked tirelessly with legislators, National Guard, and the Department of Homeland Security.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Quietly, we’ve gone on about our business. And our business? Serving you!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Corey Stapleton<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Montana Secretary of State<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>The Mission of the Office of the Secretary of State is to help commerce thrive, promote democracy, and record history for future generations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>State Capitol Building <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>1301 E. 6th Avenue <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Helena, MT 59601 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>406.444.2034<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>sosmt.gov <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Joy Breslauer, First Vice President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind of Montana <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Web Site: <a href="http://www.nfbofmt.org/">http://www.nfbofmt.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Live the life you want</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>