County Commissioners discuss mail-in ballot decision at Lincoln Gov't Day

The Lewis and Clark County Commission’s decision to conduct voting by mail for the 2020 general election dominated the Sept. 4 Lincoln Government Day meeting, the first held here since June.

At their Aug. 13 meeting in Helena, the commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to conduct the Nov. 3 election as a “mail ballot election with an in-person voting option.” The decision came one week after Gov. Steve Bullock authorized Montana’s counties to hold the election by mail to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Nationally, mail-in voting in the general election has been a point of contention, with President Donald Trump voicing concerns about the potential for fraud. Two days prior to the Lincoln Government Day meeting, the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Montana Republican State Central Committee filed suit in Helena district court to overturn Bullock’s directive, arguing its aim is less about public health and more about his bid for Senate.

County Commission Chairwoman Susan Good Geise sought to clarify questions about the commission’s decision.

“There’s a lot of misinformation about it, so I want to set the record straight on a few things because it’s a little bit complicated,” Geise said.

“A mail-in ballot collection means…every registered voter will be getting a ballot in the mail,” she explained “You don’t have to ask for it. It’s going to be delivered, however you’re mail gets delivered. It will be treated the same - exactly the same - as an absentee ballot.”

She noted 70 percent of the voters in Lewis and Clark County already vote by absentee ballot. She further explained that the elections department checks every ballot to make sure signatures match, and they will call voters if there is a discrepancy.

Geise said there is also misinformation out there suggesting voters will get “universal ballots” covering all districts. She said ballots are specific to a voter’s district. “You will get the legislative candidate that is directly tied to your address.”

The commissioners explained their decision was driven largely by two factors that made regular polling place impractical.

The first involved finding and training election judges. Most election judges in the county fall into the age group most at risk from coronavirus. Geise said they average 67 years old, or older.

“When (Elections Supervisor) Audrey McCue asked her election judges if they would be willing to come in, we had insufficient response,” Geise said. “Of course a lot of this is driven by COVID, but It is always a really big challenge to get enough judges.”

Giese added they are always looking for people to serve as election judges, and that they would like to see some younger folks apply.

The second factor involved physical polling locations.

“We would have a very difficult time getting enough physical space,” Geise said.

Many polling locations, including schools and nursing homes, said “no, thank you” this year due to COVID-19 concerns, geise said. As a result, they would have had to use large, consolidated polling places such as the county fairgrounds. Even there, social distancing and event size requirements would limit the number of people allowed inside, leaving voters waiting outside in potentially bad November weather.

Nevertheless, in-person voting isn’t out of the question.

“Know that anyone who wants to vote in person, in a voting kiosk, can still do that in the city-county building in the elections department,” Commissioner Jim* McCormick said.

According to the county elections website, “an in-person, socially-distanced voting location will be available at the county elections office at the City-County building in Helena, starting October 2 through Election Day, November 3.”

Ballots are slated to be sent out to active registered voters Oct. 9, with prepaid return postage, but voters who aren’t comfortable using the mail can hand deliver their ballot to the elections office.

When asked by Geise about postal service readiness for the election, Lincoln Postmaster Zach Muse said they’re prepared, but noted the ballots have to be delivered to the elections office** before the polls close Nov. 3. The county election office recommends mailing them at least a week ahead, and Muse said ballots headed for Helena should be in the mail by Saturday, Oct. 31 at the very latest. He added that anyone voting by mail for an election in another state should plan to have it in the mail at least six days ahead.

Muse also remarked that recent reports implying there are efforts to use Post Office to limit mail-in balloting by removing boxes or machines is election year hype.

“On average about 3000 blue boxes get removed each year. In 2014 there were 7500,” he said. “Just like anywhere else, machines get removed because we get newer machines. We had machines in Helena that hadn’t been used in two or three years because they closed down the plant and moved everything to Great Falls, so they removed the machines.”

Individuals who haven’t registered to vote yet have until Oct. 26 to do so by e-mail, fax or mail. Voter registration forms are available at the Lincoln Post Office.

Same-day voter registration will be available until election day, but people who expect to register after Oct. 26 will have to physically go to the elections office with their ID, and stand in a socially-distanced line, to register and vote.

Geise said the mail-in ballots shouldn’t cause any delay in final results for Lewis & Clark County. She said no ballot will be counted after the polls close at 8 p.m. Nov. 3.

“If the primary (election) is any indication, Lewis and Clark County…had results like that,” she said, with a snap of her fingers.

* This version corrects Commissioner Jim McCormick’s first name, which was incorrect in our print edition.

** This version corrects a misinterpreted statement that appeared in our print edition. That version included reference to a statement regarding postmarksthat made it sound as though the mail in ballots would not be postmarked. In fact, they WILL all be postmarked if they go through the mail. The comment was referring to the fact that ballots must be in to the elections office by the end of the day on election day, whether they are postmarked that same day, during the days prior or not postmarked because they were hand delivered to the office by the voter.