BUTTE - The coronavirus has changed the way elections are being handle, and Butte election officials spent Friday opening thousands of envelops now that primary election is being done by mail-in ballot only.
“So it’s a whole new, total new process that everybody is learn and we’re doing,” said Butte Clerk and Recorder Sally Hollis.
Earlier this month, Butte mailed out 19,500 ballots to registered voters in the county and has had about 11,000 returned this week. Teams of three election workers were at the Butte Civic Center opening each ballot in an orderly manner.
“One person cuts the envelop open and gives it to the other person. That person takes the ballot out, gives the ballot to the person across the table and then spreads it out. It’s the process they go through so nobody can really see what’s going on with that ballot,” said Hollis.
The primary election is almost here, and they still have a table full of ballots to go through, but election officials say it is important people fill out their ballots and turn them in.
“Do not wait any longer, and you can bring it to the courthouse, and we’ll take care of it. On Tuesday, Election Day, you can bring the ballot to the Civic Center or to the courthouse and both places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” Hollis said.
If voters haven’t mailed in their ballots by Friday, they should drop them off at the courthouse during business hours on Monday and Tuesday.
