Voter turnout was nearly 55% in the primary, about 10 percentage points higher than in the last presidential primary. Ballots were also returned fairly early, which clerks attributed to paid postage. Under a law passed in the 2019 Legislature, larger counties can also start preparing and counting ballots before polls close, which aided in quick returns.
A spokeswoman for Bullock said Tuesday the governor is weighing options.
“As he did in issuing the primary directive, Gov. Bullock will consult with county election administrators, public health experts, emergency management professionals, the Secretary of State and political leaders from both parties to determine the safest way to proceed,” the statement reads. “These discussions will be occurring in the coming weeks to ensure that county election administrators have adequate time to prepare. As far as a timeline, counties have requested an announcement by Aug. 10.”
The governor will also take into consideration the risk of large gatherings, new COVID-19 cases or hot spots for the virus and community spread, as well as measures such as wearing masks, social distancing and sanitizing, the spokeswoman said.
Earlier this month Bullock issued a directive that masks are mandatory for most people in counties with four or more active COVID-19 cases. On Tuesday Montana tallied nearly 3,500 cumulative cases of the virus, with more than 1,300 active. There have been 51 deaths.
