HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – With a week to go until the 2020 Primary Election comes to an end, Hi-Line voter turnout numbers are starting to trickle in for the mail-in ballot only primary.
As of Monday, Hill County election officials had received 2,547 ballots out of 7,359 they sent out. That means 34 percent of active registered voters have already had their ballots received. Total voter turnout in the last two federal primaries (2018, 2016) were no higher than 42 percent.
Blaine County has received just over 1,000 of the 3,400 ballots they have sent out. That number is already higher than the total voter turnout of the two previous federal primaries (906 votes in 2018, 793 in 2016.
Liberty County has received around 550 of the 1,100 ballots they mailed out, putting turnout so far at about 50 percent. In the 2018 federal primary, voter turnout was 75 percent.
Chouteau County has received 1,311 of 3,056 ballots, putting turnout so far at 43 percent. Votes cast in the previous two federal primaries were 1,691 in 2018 and 1,754 in 2016.
Phillips County has received 1,143 of the 2,485 ballots issued, for a current turnout rate of 46 percent. Turnout for the 2016 primary was 63 percent (1,679 votes cast), and 62 percent (1,682 votes cast) for 2018.
All numbers are as of Monday.
Election results can start to be released at 8 PM on election day. However, it is unclear whether ballots received after that time but postmarked by election day will be allowed to count. A District Court Judge ruled that they are allowed to count, but Attorney General Tim Fox is challenging the ruling.
Stay tuned to New Media Broadcasters for updates on the 2020 Primary Election.
