Voters in Flathead County head to polls for Election Day
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 week, 3 days AGO
A roll of "I Voted" stickers at the Trade Center at the Flathead County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Nov. 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Heidi Desch is features editor and covers Flathead County for the Daily Inter Lake. She previously served as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, spending 10 years at the newspaper and earning honors as best weekly newspaper in Montana. She was a reporter for the Hungry Horse News and has served as interim editor for The Western News and Bigfork Eagle. She is a graduate of the University of Montana. She can be reached at hdesch@dailyinterlake.com or 406-758-4421. | November 4, 2024 11:00 PM
Voters are heading to the polls Nov. 5 to determine a slate of races in Flathead County, statewide and nationally. Montana voters will also decide three constitutional initiatives.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. It’s too late to return absentee ballots by mail, but they can be dropped off at polling locations.
Multiple polling locations are open across Flathead County. Due to changes to the legislative district boundaries, some voters may be in a different precinct than in previous elections. The Flathead County Election Department recommends checking where to vote by visiting prodvoterportal.mt.gov/WhereToVote.aspx.
Voting is no longer available at Swan River School, Columbia Falls High School or the Bigfork library.
There are two drive-thru voting locations open on Tuesday at the Flathead County Fairgrounds and at the county Election Department, 290 B N. Main St., Kalispell.
Voters need to present identification when voting in person. Acceptable forms of identification include a valid driver’s license, military identification, U.S. passport and school district or postsecondary education photo identification. Voters can also present a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or notice of voter registration that includes their name and current address.
Montana allows voters to register on Election Day, and those who are in line when polls close at 8 p.m. are permitted to vote.
Voters are prohibited from wearing or displaying any campaign material or electioneering within 100 feet of any polling location.
Flathead County had 83,698 registered voters as of Monday, according to the Montana Secretary of State’s Office. Statewide there were 791,455 registered voters.
Of the 55,265 absentee ballots sent out in Flathead County, 38,609 had been returned as of Monday, accounting for nearly 70% of the total. Statewide of the roughly 542,000 ballots sent out nearly 73% had been returned.
More information on voting in Montana can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at sosmt.gov/elections/.
Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@dailyinterlake.com.