Election season comes to a head

The election season comes to a full head of steam this week, with some school districts holding elections for their boards of trustees Tuesday, absentee ballots in the primary election being mailed out Friday and Hill County announcing a slight change in polling places.

In the June 5 primary election, people who already have registered as an absentee voter or as a permanent absentee voter will be mailed a ballot Friday.

A release from the Hill County Clerk and Recorder’s Office said people can go to My Voter Page at the Montana Secretary of State website at https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo to see if they are registered, verify their address, verify the location of their polling place, to check the status of their absentee ballot and view a sample ballot.

People who want an absentee ballot sent to them must make the request in writing at their clerk and recorder’s Office. The request must be signed by the person who wants the ballot and must have the date of birth of that person. It must also list the address to which the ballot should be mailed. Each elector must sign for their own ballot. People can designate someone else to pick up their ballot, but the request must be signed by the elector.

People who are not registered can register by appearing in person with identification at their clerk and recorder’s office and voting.

Absentee balloting and later registration will close at noon Monday, June 4, then late registration will re-open on Election Day, Tuesday, June, 5, at 7 a.m. at the clerk and recorder’s office and close at 8 p.m.

The press release said the Hill County Clerk and Recorder’s office urges people who need to use the absentee balloting process to be sure to allow for plenty of time for requesting, voting and returning the absentee ballot. The ballot must be received no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday June 5. Mailed items postmarked that day or earlier but received after June 5 will not be counted.

College students, military, and those who are out of the county temporarily are urged to request as early as possible to ensure that the ballot will have sufficient time to be voted and returned for counting, the release said.

In Hill County, signed written absentee ballot requests can be sent to the Hill County Clerk and Recorder, 315 Fourth Street, Havre MT, 59501 or faxed to 406-265-2445.

Polling places will be open for registered voters in Hill County from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, June 5.

In Hill County, a change in one polling place is happening this year. Precinct 14, which used to poll in the District 4 HRDC building, is moving to the St. Jude Parish Center where precincts 2, 10 and 25 vote, which will reduce the expense to the county by eliminating one location.

The other Hill County locations remain the same, with precincts 1, 7, 8 and 9 voting in Havre High School, precincts 3, 13, 15 and 16 voting in Havre Middle School’s gymnasium, Precinct 18 voting in Box Elder School, precincts 20, 21 and 22 voting in the Hi-Line Community Center in Hingham and Precinct 28 voting in the Chippewa Cree Wellness Center.

In Blaine County, the polling places have not changed, with Precinct 1 voting in Turner School with polling open from noon to 8 p.m. The other locations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. with precincts 3 and 8 voting in the Sacred Heart Church at Fort Belknap, Precinct 8 voting at Harlem High School, precincts 10, 11 and 12 voting at Chinook High School and Precinct 15 voting at Hays-Lodge Pole High School.

Polling places also have not changed in Liberty County, with precincts 1, 2 and 3 voting at CJI School in Chester and Precinct 4 voting at Joplin Community Hall. Polls are open at both locations from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In Chouteau County, polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Big Sandy Town Hall for precincts 8 and 9 and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Stone Child College on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation for Precinct 5.