Lake County gears up for primary election
Dennis LaBonty offered instruction in voter registration to 23 students at Two Eagle River School in Pablo last Tuesday, April 23, with help from Suz Rittenhouse. In Montana, eligible voters must be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. (Courtesy photo)
This QR code leads to the Secretary of State's portal.
The Lake County Election Office is gearing up for the primary election June 4. Election administrator Toni Kramer reports that 124 election judges completed training last week and were officially appointed by Lake County Commissioners Monday.
Commissioners also designated polling places for the 2024-2026 election cycle, with a few minor changes. Pablo's two precincts, PAB 01 and PAB 02, will be voting at the Mission Valley Power Conference Room instead of Pablo Christian Church, which is in the midst of a remodeling project.
Polson precinct POL 01 will be voting at the Elmo Health and Wellness Center instead of Linderman Gym due to last year’s redrawing of House and Senate district boundaries, Kramer said. Polson precincts POL 02- 08 will still vote at Linderman.
Active voters affected by the Pablo precinct change will receive updated voter confirmation cards; other active voters should have received confirmation cards in December.
Kramer encourages voters to check the status of their voter registration by scanning the QR code pictured here or heading to the state Voter Portal at prodvoterportal.mt.gov/WhereToVote.aspx. The site also tells voters whether they are registered as a poll or absentee voter (meaning they’ll receive ballots in the mail instead of voting in person), which House and Senate districts they reside in, and the status of their ballots.
Same-day registration is available at the election office from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, June 4, and prior to that during office hours.
“Still, we want to encourage our voters to update their registration as soon as possible so that their Election Day experience goes as smoothly as possible,” Kramer says.
Satellite election offices will be open the week prior to the primary election at the following times and locations: 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. May 28, Vern Clairmont Tribal Complex in Pablo; 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. May 29, Arlee Indian Senior Center; 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. May 31, St. Ignatius Indian Senior Center; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 1, Ronan Indian Senior Center; and 8 a.m.-noon June 3, Salish Kootenai College, Pablo.
Kramer expects to post sample ballots on Lake County’s website this week. Visit www.lakemt.gov/170/Elections or call 406-883-7268 for more information.
This QR code leads to the Secretary of State's portal.