Primary election polls open Tuesday

Polls open for the primary election Tuesday, with most polling places in the region the same as in past elections with one change in the Hill County districts.

Hill County’s Precinct 14, which used to poll in the District 4 HRDC building, is moving to 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.

All Hill County polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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. Election season comes to a head.

People who have received absentee ballots must return their ballot to their clerk and recorder’s office by 8 p.m. Tuesday night or their votes will not be counted. Voters are urged to return ballots in person, as ballots postmarked by Tuesday or earlier but not received in the clerk and recorder’s office by 8 p.m. will not be counted.

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, check the status of their absentee ballot and view a sample ballot.

Absentee balloting and later registration closed at noon today, then late registration will re-open on Election Day, Tuesday, at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office and close at 8 p.m.