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Gearing up for Elections in Lewis and Clark County

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Nov 1, 2010 at 5:58 PM MDT

Story Updated: Nov 1, 2010 at 6:20 PM MDT

Continuing our election coverage, News Channel 5 stopped by the Lewis and Clark County Elections Office to bring you important information for voters in the Helena area and across the state.

With the deadline to turn in absentee ballots today at noon, only one word can describe the Lewis and Clark County Elections Office.

"Busy," says Lewis and Clark County Election Supervisor Marilyn Bracken.

Election officials say they've mailed out over 11,000 absentee ballots and they got back around 8,300 just today and they credit the high profile races and issues to the length of the lines they've seen.

"The hunting issue, I think there is a lot of interest for that and the payday loan issue, yeah, I think the issues are bringing them out but we've got a couple of local races too that could be bringing them out, the commission and the JP race, and the sheriff's race,” says Lewis and Clark County Treasurer Clerk and Recorder Paulette DeHart.

Now if you haven't registered to vote, don't worry you still have time. You can come to the Lewis and Clark County Elections Office between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM to cast your vote. 8:00 PM is the magic number, all absentee ballots must be dropped off at a polling place or at the Lewis and Clark County Election Office at that time.

"They need to be sure and get that ballot back to us by 8:00 tomorrow night or else their ballot will not count and they need to be sure and sign the envelope on the back where they put their signature and address because that won't count if that signature isn't on there either,” adds Bracken.

Now if you are registered to vote and you haven't voted absentee go to the polling place in your precinct and to make sure your vote counts, election officials warn citizens to follow voter instructions.

DeHart describes common mistakes, “they’ll x the oval instead of filling it in and they'll vote for more than one candidate in a race, if you follow the instructions it will tell you that you must only vote for one."

Votes won't be tallied until tomorrow however ballots will be processed tonight as being cast.

"This is the peak you would think Election Day is the peak but this is the peak, getting everything ready, ready to go out to the polls, tying up loose ends, voting absentee and we started months ago,” says DeHart.

For information on where your precinct’s polling place is call the Lewis and Clark County Elections Office at 447-8336 or 437-8339.

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