Ballots are in the mail for 2022 general election

The ballots are in the mail and Lincoln County voters will soon be able to make their choices in the 2022 general election.

According to county Election Administrator Paula Buff, 8,183 absentee ballots were mailed this week.

“We’re required to mail them by Friday (Oct. 14), but the envelopes are stuffed and we are planning on beginning to mail them Thursday the 13th,” Buff said in an interview with The Western News on Tuesday. “Local voters may get their ballots by the end of the week or early next week, but certainly within 10 days.”

Buff reminded county residents that all election business is being conducted at the Election Center at the county Annex Building, located at 418 Mineral Ave. in Libby.

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

For those voting in person, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

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.

The deadline for regular registration has passed, but prospective voters may still register at the Election Center on Mineral Avenue location from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“For voters new to the area or to Montana, they can come in, we’ll get them registered and give them a ballot right then and there,” Buff said.

A recent state Supreme Court decision has meant a return to same-day voter registration. Voters may register and cast a ballot up to 8 p.m. on Election Day at the Election Center.

“Hopefully, it won’t change between now and Election Day, but we’ll be prepared,” Buff said.

In April 2021, Montana’s 15-year practice of allowing eligible voters to register and cast a ballot on Election Day came to an end with the passage of House Bill 176.

But it, and two other measures, were declared unconstitutional by the state’s high court in late September. A lawsuit filed by several groups challenged the new laws, which included identification and the ability to accept payment for collecting ballots for voters who are not able to do it themselves.

Buff said the Election Office is in good shape with the number of election judges that are ready to help voters cast in-person ballots.

“I think we’re in good shape for this general election, but we’re always actively recruiting for judges,” Buff said.

Election judges were lauded for their role in helping hand count all the ballots in the June primary after a vendor printed the ballots on the wrong-sized paper. By law, ballots have to either all be counted by machine or all counted by hand, according to state officials.

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.

Sample ballots can also be seen at the Election Office or on the bulletin boards inside the county Courthouse on the north and south ends of the building as well as the north Lincoln County Annex Building in Eureka.