Regular voter registration deadline is Monday

Montana’s regular voter registration period ends at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 6.

Those who register after the close of regular registration must do so in person at the Flathead County Election Department at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell. All registration and absentee ballot processes will be conducted at the Country Fair Kitchen building.

After Monday, late registrants will be issued absentee ballots that must be returned to the election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

“There’s still time to register if you haven’t done so already,” Secretary of State and Chief Elections Officer Linda McCulloch said in a press release on Monday. “In Montana, you can register and vote at the county election office or designated late registration location right up through the close of polls on Election Day.”

Monday, Oct. 6, also marks the deadline for counties to mail the first round of absentee ballots to identified absentee voters.

 Statewide, counties are set to mail more than 208,934 absentee ballots to voters on Monday, to about 31 percent of the state’s 668,054 registered voters.

 “More and more Montanans are voting by absentee ballot,” McCulloch said. “However, it’s important for absentee voters to account for mail delivery standards in their area. Absentee ballots must be received by the close of polls on Election Day.”

 If people do not know if they are registered or are not sure if their registration information is current, they are encouraged to check their registration status using “My Voter Page,” which can be accessed online and in the Apple and Droid app markets.

The site also has precinct-specific sample ballots, maps to polling place locations and an absentee ballot tracking service. 

Printable voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications can be found online at sos.mt.gov/Elections.

The My Voter Page link also can be found on the Flathead County website at flathead.mt.gov/election.

All questions about voting should be directed to either the Secretary of State’s toll-free voter hotline at 1-888-884-VOTE (8683), or to the county election office at 758-5535.