County Commission Chairman Slotnick discusses All Mail Election

As Missoula and the rest of the country prepares for the all mail general election in November, County Commission Chairman Josh Slotnick provided more details about how the election will be handled in Missoula County.

“Here’s an innovative piece of it is that we are going to cover the cost of return postage and those costs are CARES act reimbursable,” said Slotnick. “So this means in our all mail in ballot if you choose to mail it in, you don't have to, but if you choose to mail it in, you don't have to pay postage and that cost is covered through the CARES act.”

Slotnick said for those who are uncomfortable mailing in their ballots, they can drop off their ballots in person.

“If a person feels more comfortable, we will have 12 drop off boxes across the county that will be staffed and you could go put your mail in ballot in the drop off box,” he said. “If you feel more comfortable and if you want to go vote in person on Election Day, you can.”

Slotnick said the drop off boxes are secure and attended by county personnel.

“Yeah, I mean, these are staff literally a guard there, a person not a security guard, but a person standing by that box, making sure that there's no hanky panky and that's exactly what they're there for,” he said.

Slotnick also described, in his view, the difference between an absentee ballot and a general mail in ballot.

“My understanding is these are functionally the same,” he said. “The difference is in an absentee ballot, you asked for it; you have to apply; you have to say I would like an absentee ballot, and in the all mail ballot you're going to get one no matter what. “Every single person who's a registered voter in Missoula County is going to get one in the mail. And if you want to, you can mail it in, and if you want to, you can put in a drop-box, or if you want to, you can tear it up and go vote in person on Election Day.”

Click the link to see all the drop-off locations in Missoula County.