MISSOULA — Time is ticking for you to get your ballots in for the municipal elections Tuesday and since polls haven't closed, we have the last-minute information you need to know.
With day-of ballot drop-off, voters are in and out of the Missoula County Elections Center within minutes with election volunteers saying it’s been this smooth and this steady all day long. Meanwhile, if you haven’t returned your ballot, there’s still time as they can be dropped off until 8 p.m.
According to Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman, this election’s ballot return rate was at 42% as of 4 p.m. Tuesday. He says that 42% is an improvement from return rates in 2017 and 2019. With such a strong return rate in the 2020 election, Seaman is hopeful they’ll continue seeing voters up until that 8 p.m. deadline.
“So, with 10 different drop-off locations. We've got a lot of different opportunities for voters to make sure that their voice is heard. So different areas around the county, different areas here, and we have two drive-thrus. We've got the one here and one at the fairgrounds and these are very popular with voters because it allows me to get their ballot in the least intrusive way, especially in the middle of an ongoing pandemic it can limit that cross-contact and help make sure that you get the opportunity to vote. That if you wanted to make sure that you've got to make an informed decision and waited till today that you've had an easy way to get your vote in and make sure your ballot gets counted.” - Missoula County Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman
The Elections Center began counting ballots on Monday and officials say they’re right on track to have preliminary results by 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
Six ballot drop-off locations will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day only:
- Ward 1 –Missoula Public Library, 435 E. Main. St.
- Ward 2 –Hellgate Elementary School Administration Office, 2385 Flynn Lane
- Ward 3 –The Elections Center, 140 N. Russell St.
- Ward 4 –Missoula County Fairgrounds, 1101 South Avenue W.
- Ward 5 –Missoula Early Learning Center, 2625 Briggs St.
- Ward 6 –Franklin Elementary School, 1910 S. 11th St. W.
Voters who are unsure of what ward they reside in can click here for additional information.
Voters with questions may contact the Missoula County Elections Office by calling (406) 258-4751 or via email. Common voter questions can be viewed online. Voters can also learn how Missoula County ensures election integrity here.
