Election Day but a month away – make a plan to vote!
It’s now only weeks away and the stakes have never been higher – no, really. Another Election Day is almost here, and even though they say it every cycle, this one is proving to be the most crucial.
Decisions made on November 3rd will determine the course of our country long after the terms of featured candidates expire, up and down the ballot. Gone are the days of political off-seasons, but now is not the time to let, albeit justifiable fatigue keep Montanans from fulfilling the civic right and responsibility to cast their vote.
Everything looks different post-COVID, including the upcoming election. In early August, Governor Steve Bullock directed the expansion of voting by mail and early voting, still requiring in-person voting opportunities whether or not counties opt for increased mail ballots.
“I am in agreement with our bipartisan election administrators – who are the ones on the ground with the first-hand knowledge of how to successfully conduct an election – that we must protect Montanans’ right to vote, while protecting the public’s health,” he said. “Locally elected officials best understand the voting needs of their communities, and taking this action now ensures they will have time to make the right decisions for their localities. With this approach we can protect that fundamental right to vote, while easing crowding and pressure on voting on Election Day.”
Numerous Montana counties, including Gallatin and Park, have since announced their plans to hold mail-ballot elections for the coming general contest. These and other participating counties hope to replicate the success of their June primary elections, which were conducted by mail statewide and saw record turnout.
Voting procedure has always differed from state to state, county to county, but having to constantly improvise our daily lives has made it difficult to keep everything straight. This digest is meant to clear up any lingering confusion about how local voters can ensure their tallies are accounted for come Election Day.
New Voter Registration
An active electorate is fundamental to any democracy. This body of citizens decides who runs things and how they’re run, in the short and long-term. To contribute with your vote, registration is required through your local election office.
Prospective voters 18 years or older and residents of the Treasure State for at least 30 days prior to the election will need a valid Montana Driver’s License or ID Card, Social Security Number, or accepted alternate identification to register. Montana is one of only a handful of states that allows registration up until the close of polls on Election Day. One caveat: voters must appear in-person after the late registration period has begun. The deadline for regular voter registration is Oct. 26.
Registration & Voter Status
If you’re not sure about the status of your voter record, log on to votinginmontana.com and click ‘My Voter Page’ to be rerouted to the Montana Secretary of State’s voter information service. Enter your first and last name with date of birth for registration status, whether you’re an active or inactive voter, sample ballots (available 30 days before the election) and ballot tracking. This page also displays absentee status and the location of your polling place during a typical, COVID-free voting year.
Ballot Dispersal
As is routine for absentee voters under normal circumstances, this year’s official ballots will be mailed to ALL registered voters on Oct. 9. Once received, electors will complete their ballot and return in the included security envelope. Postage will be provided. Don’t forget to sign! Ballot envelopes without voter signature will be invalidated.
Ballot Collection
Completed ballots MUST be received by 8pm on Election Day to be included in the official count. Given our transition to a predominantly vote-by-mail election, timeliness will be essential once blank ballots are received.
Gallatin County election officials have worked with the local United States Postal Service offices to eliminate long-distance mail processing in Billings and Great Falls. In the week leading up to the election, ballots will be sorted from other mail and delivered to the local election office directly. That being said, time is of the essence. Returning ballots early is strongly encouraged.
In addition to the Gallatin County Election Office at 311 W Main, officials have announced multiple locations where voters may drop off their ballots once received and completed: Belgrade City Clerk’s Office (91 E Central), Manhattan City Clerk’s Office (207 S 6th), Three Forks City Clerk’s Office (206 N Main), West Yellowstone City Clerk’s Office (440 Yellowstone Ave.), Big Sky Water & Sewer District Office (561 Little Coyote Rd.) and the Office of ASMSU (SUB-221, 751 W Grant) in Bozeman. Interested voters may utilize these offices to return their ballots during regular business hours, through Nov. 3.
On Election Day only, the following locations will also be available to drop-off voters: Gallatin County Fairgrounds (901 N Black) and Hope Lutheran Church (2152 W Graf) in Bozeman, Belgrade’s Special Events Center (220 Spooner Rd.) and River Rock Community Center (101 River Rock), the Gallatin Gateway Community Center (145 Mill St.), Manhattan Christian High School (8000 Churchill Rd.), and Bridger Canyon Fire Station (8081 Bridger Canyon) in Bozeman.
These receptacles are as secure as any mailbox, but exclusive to ballots. Please note: Excluding the Gallatin County Election Dept., the above locations are for ballot drop-off only and will not accommodate in-person voting or voter registration.
In-Person Voting & Satellite Offices
Those who wish to vote in person will still be able to do so at the county election department, which expands office hours to 7am–8pm on Election Day. Additionally, plans for date-specific satellite offices in communities around the county have been announced.
These sites will offer access to registration services and voting in person, all from 9am–6pm: City of Belgrade Office (91 E Central) from October 7–8, Three Forks Library (607 S Main) from Oct. 13–14, Town of Manhattan Municipal Offices (207 S Sixth) from Oct. 15–16, Town of West Yellowstone Offices (440 Yellowstone Ave.) from Oct. 20–21, Big Sky Water & Sewer District Office (561 Little Coyote Rd.) from Oct. 22–23, and Campus of Montana State University (West side lobby, Brick Breeden Fieldhouse) from Oct. 27–30.
Excluding the MSU Campus location, this mobile configuration will operate out of an administrative trailer found in the parking lots of listed locations. Public health protocols will be enforced at all official election sites.
Election Service Opportunities
All eyes are on the fast approaching general election and our county offices may need some extra hands. Serve as an election judge to be a part of the process! The State of Montana conducts fair, secure elections with the help of these individuals who staff polling places and counting centers. Those interested must be registered voters 18 years of age or older and residents of the county for which they will serve. Visit sosmt.gov/elections/judge or contact your county election administrator for additional information.
Be Prepared, Vote Early
With the fluid state of affairs and seemingly endless politicization of our institutions, the safest way to guarantee your vote is among those confirmed and counted is by doing so early.
Research the issues. Learn more about each candidate’s platform. Understand the verbiage of proposed measures. These can largely be done before ballots are mailed out. Decide where you stand now, so you can grab that blue or black pen and turn it right back around.
Send it through the mail, find a drop-box, or walk the ballot envelope into the election office during regular business hours if you’re looking for that extra sense of security. Bottom line: Do not delay. If we had to pick an overused adage to sum up life in the time of COVID, it would be to expect the unexpected. This is not the time for procrastination or indifference.
The somewhat gradual receipt of completed ballots will ease the burden on our election officials on what will be a hotly contested Nov. 3rd. Political affiliations aside, it’s imperative we make a plan now to vote early. •
