County prepares for 2018 elections

With 2018 being an election year with several county, school board and special district terms up, Sanders County officials are encouraging voters to update their information sooner rather than later.

Bobbi Christenson with the Sanders County Clerk and Recorder’s office said that voters who have updated mailing addresses need to make sure their current address is on file with the county so that mailed ballots are received. She said that returned mail gets routed through Denver, and can take weeks to arrive back at their office. In the case of short election cycles, that leaves little time for contacting voters to get their correct address.

The Clerk and Recorder’s office will attempt to contact voters whose ballots are returned, using phone and email if that information is on file. Christenson said that if people didn’t receive their tax bill in the mail, they probably also need to update their address with Clerk and Recorder’s office.

Christenson said it would be helpful for voters to notify the county of address changes by the end of March, as the first ballots for school trustee elections will be mailed April 20.

Filing deadline for special district elections, including fire, hospital, park, water and sewer boards, is Monday, Feb. 12. Candidates for county offices and conservation districts have until March 12 to file, and school trustee candidates must file by March 29.

For the school trustee and special district elections, election day will be May 8. For the general election, including county offices, primary absentee ballots will be mailed by May 11, with the primary taking place June 5. The general election is Nov. 6.

Denley Loge recently announced his candidacy for re-election to the Montana House of Representatives, House District 14.

“The trust given to me to represent my constituents this past term was overwhelming,” Loge said in a statement.

Loge, from St. Regis, was recently appointed to the Private Land Public Wildlife Committee by Gov. Bullock.