Lewis and Clark County Elections
A Department of the Lewis and Clark County Treasurer/Clerk and Recorder, Paulette DeHart
316 N Park Ave, Rm 168, Helena, MT 59623 | Ph: 406-447-8339 | elections(at)lccountymt.gov
Find answers to common elections and voting questions:
What is on the next ballot?
How do I vote in the next election?
Where do I vote?
Where can I find Election Results?
Where can I find more information about running as a candidate in an election?
Other resources:
What is on the next ballot?
May 5, 2020 - School and Other Local Elections
Schools and other local jurisdictions such as fire or water/sewer districts are governed by an elected board. The elections for these positions are held in May of every year. Candidates may file starting in December.
If you are interested in more information about what these board members do, we recommend you contact the local board directly. If you are having trouble finding contact information for a local board in your area, please contact our office and we can assist you.
June 2, 2020 - Presidential Primary Election
At the Primary election, we will be nominating candidates for County, State, and Federal offices. The winners from each political party's primary election move onto the General Election Ballot in November. For nonpartisan offices, the top two candidates move onto the General Election Ballot. Precinct Committee People may also be elected at the Primary election.
Montana has an "Open Primary" system, which means you get to choose which party primary you vote in, without having to register with a political party. We will provide you with each party's primary election ballot, and you pick one to vote. Note that you can only vote in one party's primary. If you vote more than one primary ballot, your ballots will be rejected.
November 3, 2020 - Presidential General Election
At the General election, we will be electing more than the US President. Your ballot will also include elections for county, state, and federal offices, as well as ballot questions referred to the voters by the state legislature or initiated through a citizen petition process.
Click here for a complete list of offices to be elected in Lewis and Clark County in 2020.
How do I vote in the next election?
1. Register to vote. (If it is within 30 days of the election, you must "late register" in person at the elections office.)
2. Request an absentee (mailed) ballot or use My Voter Page to locate your polling place.*
*For many local elections, such as school or city elections, there are no polling places - all ballots are mailed.
3. Submit your absentee/mail ballot by 8pm on Election Day** or visit your polling place by 8pm on Election Day.
**Postmarks are not accepted on absentee/mail ballots; your ballot must be received by 8pm on Election Day!
For more information, visit our Voter Information Page or contact us.
Where do I vote?
There are a lot of ways to vote in Montana, so it is up to you to decide where you will vote in the next election. Your options will depend on your voter registration status and certain deadlines. We hope the information below will help you make a plan to vote, and we welcome you to give us a call at 406-447-8339 to review your specific voting options.
- Polling places - locations for voting on Election Day - are available for Federal Elections. (Think "big" elections where we vote for President, US Senator, or US Representative.)
- You must get registered to vote at least 30 days before the election to vote at a polling place. (If it is within 30 days of the election, you can "late register" and vote at the county elections office.)
- Once you are registered 30 days before the election, we assign you to a specific precinct and polling place based on your address. On Election Day, you must vote in your designated precinct at your designated polling place.
- You can locate your polling place and precinct with the state's My Voter Page service by entering your name and date of birth.
- Hours of operation for polling places are 7am to 8pm, except for the Dearborn Community Center which is open from 12noon to 8pm.
- You can also call our office at 406-447-8339 to find your polling location.
- For many local elections (like city or school elections), there are no polling places, all ballots are mailed.
- Your mail ballot will include instructions on how to return your ballot.
- In any type of election, you can vote early by requesting an absentee ballot.
- You can mail, email, or fax in your signed application for absentee ballot to have a ballot mailed to you,
- Or you can request an absentee ballot in person at the county elections office located at 316 N Park Ave, Rm 168 in Helena.
- Absentee voting opens 20-30 days before the election.
- The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 12noon the day before the election.
- Voted absentee ballots must be received back by 8pm on Election Day - postmarks are not accepted.
- You also have the option to sign up for the absentee list.
- If you are on the absentee list, your ballot will be mailed to you for every election, whether there are polling places for that election or not.
- To sign up for the absentee list, complete the application for absentee ballot and check the box for "Absentee List" in the ballot request options section.
Where can I find Election Results?
Results are available on our website here. Additional results can be found on the Secretary of State's website. Contact us if you cannot find what you are looking for.
Where can I find more information about running as a candidate in an election?
Candidates for County, City, or Special Purpose District offices must file paperwork with the county elections department in order to appear on the ballot. Lists of offices to be elected this year are posted on our webpage for candidates. We only accept candidate filing forms during certain time periods. When that time period is approaching, we will post additional information for candidates on the webpage for candidates, including candidate filing forms. Please note that while we may post some information regarding candidate qualifications on our website, it is your responsibility to determine whether or not you are eligible to hold an office.
If you would like more information on filing for State or Federal Offices, including legislative offices, you can find more information on the Secretary of State's webpage for candidates.
Candidates for school boards file with the school clerk. More information about running for school board can be found on the Office of Public Instruction's website or by contacting the clerk at your school district's business office.
Look up your voter registration information with My Voter Page
With www.MyVoterPageMT.com you can:
√ Confirm your voter registration information
√ Check your voter status
√ Track your absentee ballot in Federal Elections
√ Locate your polling place
√ View your Federal Primary or Federal General sample ballot
Upcoming Election Dates
| Year | Type of Election | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | School and Special District Elections | May 5th |
| 2020 | Federal Primary | June 2nd |
| 2020 | Federal General | November 3rd |
| 2021 | School and Special District Elections | May 4th |
| 2021 | Municipal Primary Note: this election is often cancelled. Contact the elections office to determine if this election will be held or not. | September 14th |
| 2021 | Municipal General | November 2nd |
About the Elections Department
One of five departments under County Treasurer/Clerk and Recorder Paulette DeHart, the Elections Department is responsible for administering all federal, state, county, and special purpose district elections in Lewis and Clark County according to federal and state election laws. Elections for school boards, bonds, and levies may be run by the Elections Department, or by the school district's school clerk.
As a part of administering these elections, the department maintains the voter registration files for the 45,000+ registered voters in Lewis and Clark County.
For more information about voting in Lewis and Clark County, visit our FAQs or Voter Information pages. If you can't find what you're looking for, call us at 406-447-8339, send an email to elections(at)lccountymt.gov, or stop by the office on the first floor of the City-County building in downtown Helena, 316 N Park Ave, Rm 168 in Helena.