Larrie Halverson fills out his ballot Tuesday morning at the Precinct 2 voting location in the Lincoln-McKinley Primary School gymnasium.
In one of the most closely watched elections in recent history, polls opened today for people — who haven’t already mailed in their ballots — to go cast their votes ranging from for U. S. president to county commissioners.
Polls in most locations opened 7 a. m., and are open to voters through 8 p. m.
Montana has seen an upsurge in people voting absentee this election, following a trend in the last few elections.
According to data at the website of the Montana Secretary of State, as of 4:21 this morning an astounding 306,620 absentee ballots had gone out, with 257,591 returned.
In Hill County, that amounted to 3,531 sent out and 3,145 returned by this morning. The totals in Blaine County were 1,074 sent out and 869 returned, with the totals in Chouteau County 1,411 sent out and 1,250 returned, and 489 sent out and 431 returned in Liberty County.
In Hill County, the total comprises 36 percent of registered voters.
People who have not yet returned their absentee ballots need to return them today — dropping them in the mail will not get them in by deadline and the vote will not be counted. Late registrants must return them to their county’s clerk and recorder’s office, if a person is not a late registrant, they also can be turned in at the polls.
People, who have not returned their absentee ballots and cannot take them to the clerk and recorder’s office or a polling place can go to the polls — the election officers will be able to determine if they can cast a provisional ballot at the polls — or contact their clerk and recorder’s office.
Late voter registration continues throughout the day. People who have not yet registered can register at their clerk and recorder’s office through 8 p. m. today, filling out an absentee ballot at that office to cast their vote.
For quick, complete, local election results:
• See havredailynews.com. Figures should start trickling in shortly after polls close at 8 p. m. We will have results, story and video interviews of candidates and key political figures.
• Follow @HavreDaily on Twitter.
• Follow the Havre Daily News on Facebook.
• For complete coverage on the election and what it means, see Wednesday’s Havre Daily News print edition.
