Legislators will take up Secretary of State postcards, outreach at upcoming meeting

A spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s Office said Friday the agency sailed through a recent audit of federal funds with a perfect score and some high praise.

However, the state Legislative Audit Division will conduct its own review of more recent spending of Help America Vote Act dollars, some $197,000, on a controversial postcard.

In recent months, activity from the Secretary of State’s Office including the postcards and recently posted billboards have raised concerns among legislators and members of the public.

Secretary Christi Jacobsen has not taken direct questions or attended recent meetings herself. But in an email Friday, Secretary of State spokesperson Richie Melby said the feds recently gave the agency top marks.

Melby said a federal audit of HAVA funds found zero deficiencies, “a perfect audit.” A December 2025 report noted auditors reviewed $10.8 million of funds from 2018 through 2024.

Melby pointed to the following “direct quote” about the Secretary of State’s work, but without providing a source for the quote.

“This is amazing! Your entire office needs to take a bow. Well done, and thank you for all the hard work. Clearly, it’s paid off,” Melby said in an email.

Some lawmakers want to do their own due diligence.

In January, after the Secretary of State sent the controversial mailing and questions arose, Legislative Audit Committee Chairperson Jerry Schillinger, R-Circle, requested a review from the Legislative Audit Division.

Since then, Jacobsen, a Republican in her second term as Secretary of State, announced her candidacy for U.S. House in Montana’s western district.

In a memo this week about the mailing, the Legislative Audit Division said the federal government grants “very broad authority” for use of Help America Vote Act money.

However, the memo said the feds also impose “significant and often complex” requirements on recipients, and the Legislative Audit Division would “conduct further review” of the postcards.

It said the funds wouldn’t typically be audited, but questioned costs of more than $25,000 require additional scrutiny.

The postcards had a picture of Jacobsen with President Donald Trump, and they touted a new program to “strengthen election security.”

Schillinger said Friday lawmakers will take up the postcard and related questions at their upcoming meeting April 9 and 10.

He said he expects legislators also will discuss billboards the Secretary of State’s Office put up given concerns from at least a couple of committee members.

Schillinger said the office put up 42 billboards for a cost of roughly $91,000.

The billboards remind people to bring their photo identification to the polls, and they have a picture of Jacobsen. The Secretary of State’s Office said they’re part of an effective voter outreach program.

Some Montanans have alleged the postcards and billboards represent ethics violations, a misuse of funds, but the Commissioner of Political Practices has dismissed the complaints, citing inadequate evidence.

Schillinger said the Legislative Audit Committee plans to invite Jacobsen to attend its next meeting, but Melby said Friday he didn’t know if Jacobsen would participate.

The memo from the Legislative Audit Division about the mailing said auditors will conduct additional review related to the postcard “due to the incomplete and untimely response from SOS to LAC (Legislative Audit Committee) inquiries.”

For example, the memo said the Secretary of State’s Office “failed to fully address some of the questions posed by the LAC Chair,” even when the office appeared to have an answer readily available.

Legislative Audit Division spokesperson Eric Seidle said the division expects the additional review of federal spending and “questioned costs” to continue through late June 2026.

Seidle said a “‘questioned cost’ refers to money that an auditor believes may have been spent in a way that does not comply with applicable laws, regulations or requirements.”

Schillinger said the memo indicates the rules are broad for spending HAVA grant funds, but he doesn’t understand the reason it took so long for the Secretary of State to respond to questions.

He also said it’s about time to have the issue settled and in the rear-view mirror.

“The public deserves to have the air cleared,” Schillinger said. “And I know there’s committee members who have some questions, and I think they’re legitimate.

“And I think the right thing for the secretary would be to come and take care of the questions, and, I would say, get it behind her.”

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