Early Yellowstone County Vote Turnout High
The Billings Gazette reports that on Halloween morning, the U.S. Postal Service delivered about 2,600 ballots to elections administrator Bret Rutherford’s office in the Yellowstone County Courthouse, bringing the county’s total voter participation so far to about 30,800, or 39 percent of the roughly 78,700 ballots sent out, which is unusually high for a traditionally off-year, immediately following a national election. Of over 54,000 ballots sent to Billings voters, over 21,000 had been returned as of Tuesday, also about 39 percent of eligible voters.
Billings voters are selecting a new mayor and council members as well as deciding on a public safety mill levy that could cost the owner of a $200,000 home over $21 annually, raising over $2-and-three-quarter million per year to fund the county attorney’s office. Lockwood voters will decide whether to create a High School District.