Primary Election Ballots Have Been Mailed in Missoula

It may not be bad luck, but the Missoula County Elections Office will be mailing out the federal, state and local primary election ballots on Friday, May 13.

KGVO News spoke with Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman, who said this will be the first ‘polling place’ election in several years.

“Options, options options,” began Seaman. “What we're looking at is that we will be mailing ballots out to all of our absentee voters. That's going to be all of our active and provisionally registered voters who have requested a ballot to be in the mail for all elections. In Missoula County we've got just shy of 59,000 voters who will be getting the ballot mailed to them on Friday.”

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Seaman said he and his staff are looking forward to opening the local polling places again.

“We're excited,” he said. “This is going to be our first polling place election in four years for Missoula County. Voters who choose to vote in the mail will have the option to vote in the mail. Voters who choose to vote at the polling place will be eligible to go to their polling place. In addition to that, we've got prepaid postage on those who receive a mail ballot. We've got multiple satellite office events for our rural voters. And we'll have a drop box for people who'd like to utilize an after hours ballot.”

Seaman described the new polling place locations for those who will not be mailing in their ballots.

“Voters in Evaro will vote across the street from the fire station at the Buck Snort,” he said. “Voters who used to vote at Lewis and Clark School will be voting at Washington Middle School. Voters from Chief Charlo and Meadow Hill will vote at the former Cold Springs school. And then the Cold Springs voters will vote at Jeannette Rankin where their students are going to school out there.”

Since the school election was just conducted a few weeks ago, Seaman verified the candidates and issues to be on the June primary ballot.

“We’ll be voting on candidates for federal and state races as well as our local races,” he said. “So as you go through this ballot, we'll be picking both our representatives at the federal, state and local level. But this will be the nominating election. So you'll be voting strictly on a Republican or Democratic Party ballot and picking the candidate who will go forward to the next election in November.”

Election Day voter registration is still under legal review. While currently available, the best way for residents to ensure they’re eligible to vote in this election is to register and make changes by noon, June 6 in person at a satellite event or at the Elections Center at 140 North Russell Street in Missoula.