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October 15, 2006
Some things you need to know about absentee votes By Shelly Vance
Time is closing in on the upcoming election Nov. 7. I am sure most of you have started to see or hear articles or advertisements on ballot issues and/or candidates. I would like to pass on some important information to you as a voter. My hope is to clear up procedural questions you may have and encourage you to vote this election, and future elections.
Now, there are even more ways to make it easier for you, as a voter, to obtain a ballot. In 1999 the Montana Legislature passed a law that removed certain restrictions on absentee voting. Prior to this legislation a voter needed to have a "reason" to request an absentee ballot. Now, any qualified voter may apply for an absentee ballot, without needing a reason. In 2005 the Montana Legislature passed an additional law that allows any qualified voter to request absentee ballots for subsequent elections. This is now being commonly
referred to as having your name on the "permanent absentee list."
Requesting that your name be placed on the permanent absentee list is fairly simple. When applying for an absentee ballot, a voter may also request an absentee ballot for each subsequent election in which the elector is eligible to vote, or only for each subsequent federal election in which the elector is eligible to vote. The Gallatin County Election Department has an absentee ballot application form that contains an area for you to check if you wish to be placed on the permanent absentee list.
The aforementioned laws are your "rights" as a Montana voter. As stated in an article written by Secretary of State Brad Johnson in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle on June 3, with that "right", you, as a voter have certain "responsibilities." As the election administrator, I am required to mail an address confirmation form at least 75 days before the election to each elector who has requested an absentee ballot for the subsequent election. Now comes the "responsibility" part. You, as the voter, are responsible to sign the form, indicating whether you wish to receive a ballot or not, confirm the address to which the absentee ballot should be sent, and return the form to the election administrator. This process is repeated for every subsequent election for which you are to receive an absentee ballot. If the form is not completed and returned, the election administrator shall remove the elector from the register of electors who have requested an absentee ballot for each subsequent election. A ballot will not be sent to those who have not returned a completed address confirmation form.
If you applied to be on the permanent absentee list prior to or during the primary election on June 6, you will soon be receiving, or may have all ready received from me, an address confirmation form. These forms were mailed on Aug. 24. For those of you who signed up after the primary election you will not be mailed an address confirmation form because this is your first election as a permanent absentee voter.
There are several ways to obtain an absentee ballot application form. You can drop by, call, or write the Election Department and we will gladly give you a form or send you a form, or you can download an application form from the county or state web site. Our contact information is as follows:
Gallatin County Election Department, 311 W. Main, Room 103, Bozeman, MT 59715. Phone: (406) 582-3060. Web site address (County) www.gallatin.mt.gov and go to Services Directory; County Government; Elections, Voting, & Ballots, and click on the Absentee Ballot Application. The Secretary of State’s web site is www.sos.mt.gov.
Shelly Vance is Gallatin County clerk and recorder.
Posted by admin at October 15, 2006 07:30 PM