Record turnout for local election

Sanders County voters headed to the polls on Tuesday for the 2022 General Election. Voters cast ballots for multiple local and state positions and issues.

As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, election officials were still working to count ballots. Nichol Scribner, Sanders County Clerk and Recorder, expressed that counting was taking so long Tuesday due to the number of ballots that included write-in candidates.

Scribner also said late Tuesday that there were more absentee ballots cast in this month’s General Election than total ballots (absentee and polling place combined) in either the June primary or the 2020 general election. More than 75% of absentee ballots mailed to Sanders County voters had been returned to the election office by the time polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

As Sanders County Sheriff’s deputies began showing up at the courthouse after polls closed Tuesday, the preference for voting absentee ballots was apparent as ballot boxes from polling locations were opened to reveal small stacks of ballots cast in person.

Scribner said the number of voters who participated in Tuesday’s election was a record turnout for Sanders County for any election.

“It is great to see people wanting to get involved in elections and ensuring their voices are heard through their vote. Your vote is key to our democracy,” Scribner said.

As of about 5 p.m. Tuesday, there were more than 10,050 registered voters in Sanders County, with several more lined up at the county election office to register.

Scribner said the county had a team of six doing early ballot prep on Monday and counts were “spot on. Having the election office separate from other county offices is allowing the staff to focus solely on elections which has helped in our accuracy and execution.”

A record number of provisional ballots were cast in this election as well. The provisional ballots will not be counted until Monday at 3 pm. “So if it’s a close race,” Scribner said, “we may not know the winner until after provisionals are counted.”

Scribner added that it’s important for people to remember that results from Tuesday’s election are not considered official until after the canvass of the election.

For the latest counts from Tuesday night, visit http://www.scledger.net.