KALISPELL — Election Day is right around the corner and the Flathead Elections Office is gearing up for one of the busiest election cycles they've ever seen. There are some things voters need to be aware of for this upcoming election.
“Definitely be proactive. If you have the time or the opportunity and you want to vote and not wait until election day, you know, come in sooner rather than later,” said Flathead County Interim Elections Manager Paula Buff.
Anyone who needs to register to vote should try to do so before Election Day to ensure they get the opportunity to cast a ballot.
“We have been experiencing what I would consider, you know, a pretty good volume of folks coming in. And, you know, the longer you wait, the longer those lines are going to get. Come in early, get registered, take care of business. It's very important to vote this session,” said Buff.
On top of a high voter turnout, there was a nationwide redistricting following the 10-year U.S. Census update. This has impacted voters by limiting the number of voters per precinct to 2,500 people which has added 14 new precincts in Flathead County.
“You know, people will see some differences on their ballots, just depending on what precinct they're in. Their state rep may have changed or may not have I mean, I think that it's a big deal just kind of based on the overall grand scheme of things, you know, I mean, redistricting is a lot more than just how it affects people in elections, it affects them, you know, based on who their representatives are, what kind of funding those districts get. It's a much larger picture than just elections alone." - Flathead County Interim Elections Manager Paula Buff
As always, absentee voters need to be sure to sign their ballot envelopes. Drop-off for these voters is available at the Flathead County Elections Office beforehand and at many locations across the county on Election Day which is Nov. 5.
As with all national elections, election offices across the state are prepared to see record voter turnout.
“Our office is seeing more volume this year than we've ever seen in the past, and we are doing our awful best to get through it as quickly and as efficiently and as accurately as possible. So exercising a little patience would be much appreciated,” said Buff.
A few voters in Flathead County have notified the Flathead County Elections Office of an organization calling and presenting themselves as Flathead County saying there was an issue with their ballot. Flathead County has not been contacting voters.
“There were some people who were a little bit concerned. We are trying to get the word out that you know if we are going to contact you, we will tell you exactly what's going on with your ballot. If there is an issue, what you need to do to resolve it. So, when in doubt, you know, just call our office or come in person to figure that out,” Buff advised.
Voters with questions about their ballot or voter status can visit the My Voter website here.
