Flathead County officials decided on Monday to make the June 2 primary an all-mail election in an effort to protect voters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision follows Gov. Steve Bullock’s March 25 directive that gave Montana counties the option to conduct their primary elections by mail.

Monica Eisenzimer, Flathead County election office manager, said the decision to move to an all-mail election is entirely about keeping both voters and election workers protected from COVID-19.

“We don’t want to put voters in a vulnerable position,” Eisenzimer said, adding that citizens who work as election judges tend to be older and part of “the most vulnerable population.”

Mail-only voter registration is extended until May 26, while ballots will be mailed to registered voters starting on May 8. For this election only, mail-in ballots will not require a postage stamp.

Eisenzimer said there are about 58,000 active voters in Flathead County. She urged registered voters to make sure their address is correct as soon as possible to avoid any hang-ups in the process.

Flathead County had nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Monday afternoon.

To find voter registration forms or check your registration status, visit https://flathead.mt.gov/election/. For additional questions, call the election office at 406-758-5535.