A slow but steady of stream of voters came to Montana ExpoPark in Great Falls to drop of their ballots on Tuesday, as the municipal election enters the final hours.
We asked some of the voters what's on their mind as they cast their ballots.
Tony Malisani said, "Yeah, I think they need to get a good handle on the finances with the city. The taxes and what we are putting out expenditures into."
Brian Way explained, "Mostly just tired of the way the government is being run. I think they waste a lot of money and I think things need to change."
Ted Cogswell noted, "Were there certain issues that were more important in terms of city elections? No. I voted for the people I wanted to have in there."
We'll have complete election results and reaction on the 10:00 p.m. newscast, and of course post results here on KRTV.com when we get them.
You can also click here to follow KRTV on Twitter to get the results as they come in.
(Tuesday morning) Great Falls will have a newly-elected mayor and two city commissioners within a matter of hours. The mayoral race is between current City Commissioner and attorney Bill Bronson, and military veteran and retired postal service employee Michael Winters.
We sat down with both candidates before the primary election to ask them about why they feel they are qualified for the job.
Bronson said, "I'm very pragmatic. I like to work to find solutions to the basic common problems that all of us seem to think are out there and require a solution. So I'm not interested in what one side of the aisle or the other side of the aisle has to day as being the only solution. Both sides may have something to offer, but in the end it's the pragmatic approach that gets things done and satisfies the public."
Winters said, "I have strong leadership abilities and I negotiate well and I think I'd be a good candidate, and I know that should I be elected, should the people put their trust in me to be mayor, I'll earn that trust. I'll do exactly what they want. I'll represent the people and I'm not sure that's happening right now."
Click here to watch full interviews with all of the candidates.
In the City Commission race, Fred Burow, Robert Jones, John Rosenbaum, and Donna Zook are now vying for two open Commission seats.
The Cascade County Elections office is awaiting the return of thousands of ballots over the next day; approximately 60% of registered voters have not yet submitted their ballot. Clerk and Recorder Rina Fontana Moore tells us the return is right on track with what they saw for the primary election. At this point, she expects about 15,000 of the 27,000 ballots will come back.
Ballots are due in to any one of three locations by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday night: the Cascade County Election Office; Exhibition Hall at the MT ExpoPark; or Saints Peter and Paul, located at 200 44th Street South. Late voter registration is available until 8 pm, but those individuals must go to Exhibition Hall at the MT ExpoPark to vote.
(October 27, 2009) Great Falls voters aren't exactly racing to return their ballots for the city elections. More than 27,000 ballots were sent out last week for the all mail-in election, but election staff say that only about one quarter of them have been returned so far.
Shantell McGraw, Elections Office supervisor, said, "Ballots right now are coming in really slow. Kind of trickling in right now. We are kind of hoping for a big push. Maybe at the end like we saw at the primary election." Staff also remind voters to sign the back of their ballot envelope.
Just one week remains to vote for the city's next mayor and two new city commissioners. Ballots are due Tuesday, November 3rd, by 8:00 p.m.
(from October 15, 2009) There are less than three weeks remaining until Great Falls will have a newly-elected mayor and two city commissioners. But before the ballots go out, the public had a chance to hear from all of the candidates at a forum held on the campus of MSU-Great Falls on Wednesday night.
The primary election several weeks ago narrowed the playing field for the November general election. Bill Bronson and Michael Winters edged out three other candidates to compete for the position of Mayor. In the City Commission race, Fred Burow, Robert Jones, John Rosenbaum, and Donna Zook advanced in the primary election and are now vying for two open Commission seats in the November election.
The six candidates came to a consensus on many questions, with most saying that they disagree with the city's involvement in the energy business. They also support a wide range of recreational opportunities, and most say curbside recycling would be beneficial in the community.
The candidates said they would spend anywhere from 10 to 40 hours a week on the job if elected, which is on top of a full-time job for most candidates.
The ballots are expected in the mail in the next few days and the final day to vote is November 3rd.
