Time to vote: Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday

For Lincoln County residents who have not voted by absentee ballot in the 2022 general election, polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Polls close at 8 p.m. and for those who still need to register, they may do so today at the Election Center at the county Annex Building, located at 418 Mineral Ave. in Libby. Voters may register and cast a ballot up to 8 p.m. on Election Day at the Election Center.

“No election business is conducted at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office anymore, but there is a ballot box inside the Sheriff’s Office,” county Election Administrator Paula Buff said.

There are three polling places in the county. In Libby, the Memorial Center, located at 111 E. Lincoln Blvd., handles Precincts 9-13. In Troy, the Troy Activity Center, located on 4th Street, handles Precincts 5-8 and 14. In Eureka, the High Road Youth Center, located at 1295 2nd Ave. East, handles Precincts 1-4.

Locally, there is one contested race for the county Commissioner District 1 seat.

Incumbent Brent Teske bested Stu Crismore by 140 votes in the June primary, but Crismore declared his intention to run as a write-in candidate.

For the county Public Administrator post, Libby resident Amanda Eckart filed as a write-in candidate. Eckart currently serves as a Deputy Clerk in the Lincoln County Clerk and Recorder’s Office

Republican Jim Hammons, the current county administrator, won the other commissioner seat — representing the Troy District — with 3,724 votes in the June primary.

At the federal and state level, there are two races drawing wide interest across the state and the nation.

For the U.S. Rep. of the 1st Congressional District, Republican Ryan Zinke, Democrat Monica Tranel and Libertarian John Lamb are on the ballot.

For Montana Supreme Court Justice No. 2, incumbent Ingrid Gustafson opposes James Brown.

There is also a proposed state constitutional amendment and a legislative referendum, both referred by the state legislature.

Constitutional Amendment 48, if approved by voters, would protect electronic data and communications from unreasonable search and seizures.

Legislative Referedum 131 would provide legal protections for born-alive infants by imposing criminal penalties on health care providers who do not act to preserve the life of such infants, including children born during an attempted abortion.

For more information or to see a sample ballot, visit http://www.lincolncountymt.us/departments/elections-mt or call 283-2302.