Mail ballots let Montanans get out the vote early
Days remaining are in the double digits and counting down. Another Election Day is upon us, and even though they say it every cycle, this one is perhaps 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, 30 days before the election. 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, and sample ballots (available 30 days before the election). 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 fill out their ballot and return in the included security envelope. Postage will be provided.
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.
Be on the lookout for an announcement regarding official drop-box locations, which are set to be installed around the county one month before the election. These receptacles will be as secure as any mailbox, but exclusive to ballots.
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 to open date-specific satellite offices in the county’s rural communities like Manhattan and Three Forks are underway. These sites will allow for registration and voting in person. Public health protocols will be enforced at all official election sites.
Election Service Opportunities
All eyes are on the 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. •