As the June 7 sun set, a handful of people trickled into the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, a building that rarely received visitors at that time in the evening. Some came by vehicle, while others arrived on foot. Another couple–in true Montana fashion–pulled up to the local government building in a side-by-side. Though each of them came by different means, they all had one thing in common: they came to cast their votes for the 2022 primary election.
By day’s end, more than 4,100 Jefferson County residents would vote on primary candidates for U.S. Representative, State Legislature and County Commission, as well as on several proposed mill levies (See related article for results). The processes by which those votes would be validated and counted are deliberate, thoughtful and not very showy. They’re designed to produce consistently accurate results with as much transparency as possible – and to do so within just a few hours.
By the end of April, the Jefferson County Elections Department had packaged and prepared more than 6,000 absentee ballots to mail to voters on May 13. These ballots accounted for approximately 50% of Jefferson County residents and nearly 65% of registered Jefferson County voters. As The Monitor prepared for the June 7 election coverage, a question arose: What steps does a ballot undergo after a voter casts it? Is it scanned and shredded the moment it leaves its former owner’s fingertips? Perhaps election workers mark a tally for each candidate selected and file the seemingly unimportant paper away for the rest of its existence. Our mission at The Monitor this election cycle was to follow the path of a Jefferson County ballot, and to tell its story:
As each person entered the building, four kind faces welcomed them, ready to assist them in placing their vote. The greeters directed those who arrive with an absentee ballot (also known as a mail-in ballot) to pass the signed and sealed envelope carrying their candidate choices onto Jefferson County Election Administrator Ginger Kunz. Kunz, who doubles as the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder, would rush from her current task to collect the ballots, passing them onto the election workers to sort by precinct. For elections, Jefferson County is divided into 10 precincts.
For those not registered as an absentee voter, the four election workers directed them to a voting booth – which significantly resembled the folder barriers used in grade school to prevent other students from viewing your answers – with a ballot. Once the voter had decided their choice in candidates and mill levies, they placed the form into a a secrecy sleeve and deposited into a secure ballot box.
At 7:59 p.m., one of the election workers opened the front door to the clerk and recorders office and shouted, “One minute left!” to an unseen crowd. Throughout the building, workers searched for a clock or glanced at their wrist watch, as cell phones, cameras or any other device that could broadcast campaign materials or capture images of sensitive voter information were not allowed on the premises. Only a moment later, another poll worker whispered excitedly, “The polls are closed,” as the clock struck 8 p.m. This mumbled cheer likely occurred at the county’s six other polling locations, too.
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At the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, Kunz juggled a variety of tasks. This includes formulating a rescue plan for a Jefferson County ballot discovered at the Lewis and Clark County post office, proving that every vote really does matter.
Some may assume the process of counting ballots only begins after the election workers have locked the doors, stacked the chairs and taken a moment to relax after having worked all day. While a handful of crew may have used this time to eat a few cookies, cupcakes, crackers and other snacks provided to them, the intricate task of counting ballots had already begun several weeks before and it certainly didn’t stop for the group’s brief moment of celebration.
Approximately a week or so after Jefferson County voters received their primary election ballots in the mail, several had made their way back to the Jefferson County Elections Department. During the weeks leading up to the election, employees at the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s office took the first step to counting these ballots: authentication of the voter’s signature.
To confirm that the signature on the exterior of the ballot is in fact that of the supposed voter – yes, they really do check – an election worker scans the barcode on each envelope. The uniquely printed pattern shows the worker a collection of signatures used by the individual for past election cycles or legal documents. This step also records in the election system that the voter’s ballot was received. If the signatures match, the ballot is considered valid and moves onto the next phase. In the event that there is a discrepancy in the signatures, the election worker may request a second opinion or locate other signed documents for comparison. Election officials mark ballots that feature suspicious signatures, or no signature at all, as rejected and send a letter to the ballot’s alleged owner notifying them of the problem. These ballots will not count toward the official election until the supposed voter signs a document verifying that the autograph on the envelope is in fact their own.
Prior to election night, employees scanned small batches, squeezing the task in alongside their other day-to-day duties.
With the polls closed, election judges at each of the polling places verified that the number of in-person ballots in the secure lock boxes were equal to the number issued that day.
Around 9 p.m., ballots collected at each of the county’s polling places began arriving in waves, including the ballot which had wandered into Lewis and Clark County. Workers added the absentee and in-person ballots collected to the stack waiting to be scanned into the system.
To ensure the authenticity of the vote, election judges set aside “provisional ballots.” Kunz explained that provisional ballots exist only when someone registered as an absentee voter arrives at the polls to cast an in-person vote. The election workers set the provisional ballot aside until they can verify that said person has not cast an absentee ballot as well.
Once a ballot’s signature has been authenticated, it is ready to be counted. At this point, workers have sorted the ballots by precinct and have fired up the DS450 tabulator. The tabulator operates much like the tool high school teacher’s use to quickly and accurately grade exams – yet another memory we hoped to leave behind when we reached voting age. Working through one precinct at a time, two election officials opened the envelopes, stacked them neatly and ran them through the machine – a task complicated by the creases in the papers. To guarantee fairness and eliminate the possibility for foul play, two election observers supervised this task. Kunz told The Monitor that the hope is to have an observer from each of the major political parties; however, she pointed out that they cannot ask anyone their political affiliation.
While the tabulator can accurately count significantly more ballots in a shorter amount of time than the workers could, it lacks the ability to interpret abnormal markings. When the machine encounters unclear markings, it separates the ballot from the others. A group of three election officials – with little to do until one of these ballots surfaces – collected the uncounted ballot, compared it to the “voter intent” guide and determined what the voter meant by the marks. The group then recreated the ballot using clearer marks and sent it through the machine again.
Workers placed counted ballots into a box approximately the size of a computer tower and sealed them. Many of the boxes will sit untouched for 22 months, the required retention period. However, some will be opened and recounted by hand at the request of the Secretary of State’s Office. After the nearly two years of being filed away on some dark, dusty shelf, the ballots will be discarded to make room for another collection of votes.
By 10:10 p.m., the first unofficial results were distributed to members of the staff and press. Only an hour and 12 minutes later, Kunz released the final results and the staff anxiously prepared to go home for a good night’s rest.
But the work isn’t over yet. The Monday following the election, officials will count the provisional ballots and add the votes to the final results.
Although discussing politics can be cause for contention, this was not a feeling emanated in the election office. Each of the workers set aside their personal opinions and hope for certain outcomes to work together quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, they laughed, talked and enjoyed their time doing it. Perhaps this is a lesson we can all adopt moving forward: variance without viciousness.
