Elections Office Provides Voter Education Opportunities
Posted on May 21, 2026
The Missoula County Elections Office encourages voters to educate themselves on the processes the County follows to conduct accurate, accessible and secure elections and invites members of the public and media to tour these processes leading up to and after Election Day.
The following tours will take place in the Elections Center, located at 140 N. Russell St. in Missoula:
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9:45 a.m. Tuesday, May 26: Election equipment testing. Elections staff will test the tabulators used to count ballots to ensure they are working properly ahead of Election Day. They will also test the ADA-compliant ExpressVote ballot marking devices to ensure they are operating correctly for drop-off locations on Election Day.
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10:45 a.m. Thursday, May 28: Ballot processing. Attendees will observe staff and volunteers following the multi-step process used to verify signatures, process ballots and ensure that each ballot cast is counted.
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8:45 a.m. Monday, June 1: Ballot tabulation. Attendees will observe staff conducting the final test of equipment, as well as the counting and retention process for voted ballots.
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2:45 p.m. Monday, June 8: Provisional ballot count. Attendees will observe staff counting any accepted provisional ballots for the election.
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8:45 a.m. Wednesday, June 10: Post-election audit. Attendees will observe the process used to confirm that equipment worked correctly during the election. This is an audit of any ballot counting machines used during the election. It is completed by comparing a hand-count of ballots to the results from the equipment.
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11 a.m. Tuesday, June 16: Election canvass. State law requires the Elections Office and three county elected officials to verify the election with a canvass. The canvass ensures the number of ballots voted are the number of ballots counted and that no ballots are missing or counted more than once. Media and public are invited to observe the canvass with the Missoula County commissioners and elections staff.
“These tours are an engaging way to help clarify each step of the election process,” Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman said. “Each tour provides an opportunity for guests to ask questions and experience the in-depth nature of elections. The more people know about the process, the more confident they feel.”
If unable to attend an in-person tour, voters can learn how the Elections Office ensures all ballots are counted by watching the informational videos posted online at missoula.co/electionvideos. A list of frequently asked questions about this primary election is also available online at missoula.co/currentelection.
Residents who vote by mail can confirm the Elections Office has received and accepted their ballot by visiting MyVoterPageMT.com. Contact the Elections Office at [email protected] or 406-258-4751 to ask questions or for more information.
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