Without knowing the details of discussions between Ocean Pines representatives and an election management company in Washington State, it’s difficult to make a convincing argument one way or the other about whether signing with an outfit so far away was the wisest move to make.

For all anyone outside the Election Committee’s deliberations and consultations with members of the board of directors knows, going with Election Trust out of Bainbridge Island, Washington might be just the ticket for a smoothly run board of directors election.

In addition, it’s not as if Election Trust doesn’t have a good resume with an impressive list of clients that ranges from the Maryland Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association to Lions Clubs International to the Las Vegas Country Club.

It’s also been in operation for more than 20 years, which says something about its trustworthiness at a time when conducting elections invites all kinds of criticisms.

Still, it is on the other side of the country and will, to a certain degree, have to depend on the Postal Service’s ability to meet the tight elections timeline. Maybe Election Trust has all that figured out and has made allowances for the unexpected.

There are times, however, when comfort levels and good working relationships are easier to achieve with local providers. That is the case with the board’s decision Saturday to end its arrangement with a law firm on the other side of the Chesapeake and instead go with the Ocean City-based firm Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy and Almand.

That firm knows the association and vice versa, which makes for an easy connection. With that in mind, and knowing that the association’s former election handler, Ace Printing and Mailing in Berlin, was interested in continuing in that role, the selection of Election Trust is, well, just curious.