Absentee Ballot Voter Turnout Greater than in Previous Years – Montana Secretary of State ‘Checks In’ on Elections Office

It was a busy day today for many Montana voters, but none as busy as Montana’s Secretary of State. Linda McCulloch was in Missoula at 6:30 a.m. this morning checking in at the Missoula County Election’s Office and said everything was up to snuff. Here’s what she found while making her stop:

"Well, we know that as of 12:15 p.m. today, 81 percent of all absentee ballots have been returned," McCulloch said. "That's actually about 30 percent of all registered voters have voted already. Missoula County is about 70 percent of absentee ballots have been returned."

McCulloch wanted to also give one last minute reminder for absentee ballot voters.

"Actually there are a lot of voters whose ballots don't get counted because they get in to the elections office too late to be counted," McCulloch said. "I would caution anybody who is holding an absentee ballot not to send it to the post office because postmarks don't count. It has to be in to the elections office by 8 p.m. So I would take it to a polling place, or to the elections office and drop it off."

McCulloch said in 2010, the absentee ballot turnout was 47.15 percent; 59 percent in 2012, and so far in the 2014 primary: almost 68 percent.

Polls will close at 8 p.m. this evening.

Linda McCulloch: