Libby absentee, mail-in ballots sent Friday

As early as Saturday, active registered absentee voters in Libby will begin receiving ballots in the mail.

Lincoln County Assistant Election Administrator Leigh Riggleman said clerk officials will begin mailing the ballots Friday. In all, 360 of the absentee voters of the estimated 1,600 registered voters in Libby will receive those ballots, which, when completed,  may be mailed or dropped off at the courthouse.

However, if a voter requests an absentee ballot before Election Day, they must request an absentee ballot in writing. That request must be made before noon Monday, Nov. 4.

The remainder of Libby voters — about 1,240 — will be expected to go to the polls on Election Day, Nov. 5, to cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Ponderosa Room at Libby City Hall. The Ponderosa Room is the only polling place in Libby.

In Troy, Eureka and Rexford, all ballots will be cast through the mail-in ballot, Riggleman said.

Riggleman specifically mentioned that unregistered voters may sign-up as late as Election Day, Nov. 5. To do this, Riggleman said, those unregistered voters must do so at the courthouse, and their ballots will be cast at the courthouse. They should not try to register at the Ponderosa Room.

Riggleman also reminded the public that while voters will be asked to vote for one mayoral and a specific number of council members, they may cast a ballot for just a mayoral candidate or even a single council candidate. Ballots will count if they don’t vote for the full complement, she said.

The only way a ballot will not count, Riggleman said, is if a voter exceeds the number of votes cast, such as voting for four when the ballots asks for a maximum of three.

Included in this issue is a list of mayoral candidates for Libby and Troy. Coming Tuesday, Libby City Council candidates will be featured, and on Friday, Oct. 18, the Troy Council candidates will be featured.