Montana’s overseas voting system fixed after error leaves Harris off ballot

(Daily Montanan) — Military and overseas voters tin erstwhile again ballot done nan state’s Electronic Absentee System aft nan Montana Secretary of State’s Office corrected an correction that near Democratic Presidential campaigner Kamala Harris and moving mate Tim Walz disconnected nan ballot.

Friday, nan Secretary of State’s Office took down nan strategy that immoderate military and overseas voters use to formed their ballot for respective hours while vendors fixed nan strategy aft nan agency was notified of nan omission.

Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen’s agency issued a news merchandise Monday greeting that started pinch nan assertion: “No, Montana did not time off a campaigner disconnected nan 2024 General Election ballot.”

The Daily Inter Lake first reported nan rumor pinch nan Electronic Absentee System connected Friday afternoon, saying a Flathead County elector surviving successful nan United Kingdom had logged connected to nan absentee overseas ballot strategy connected Friday and noticed nan statesmanlike title only contained Republican Donald Trump and Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., arsenic options.

The communicative noted that Jacobsen’s agency was fixing nan correction pinch a vendor and that it would beryllium rectified by later successful nan day. Friday was nan first time that military and overseas voters from Montana could commencement voting successful nan November election.

The news dispersed connected societal media during nan play arsenic immoderate people, including galore from extracurricular Montana, alleged that Jacobsen had intended to time off Harris and Walz disconnected nan ballot.

Her agency connected Monday said that was “egregious misinformation,” explained that Jacobsen had certified qualified candidates, including Harris and Walz, for nan ballot successful August. Later successful nan afternoon, her agency sent retired links to stories fact-checking claims that Harris’s sanction was “removed” from nan ballot.

In nan news merchandise Monday, Jacobsen’s agency said predetermination officials were notified that nan Electronic Absentee System had an rumor soon aft 8 a.m. connected Friday. It said it took nan EAS strategy offline and worked pinch a vendor to troubleshoot nan rumor and correct it.

“By Friday afternoon, nan strategy was backmost online and disposable to eligible UOCAVA voters, including those fewer voters who whitethorn person been impacted,” nan merchandise said. “No ballots were affected, including those that will beryllium sent to registered absentee voters and those that will beryllium presented to voters astatine nan polling spot connected Election Day.”

Secretary of State’s Office spokesperson Richie Melby said nan agency had received 1 study from Flathead County and that nan strategy was taken offline successful nan greeting and was backmost online by Friday afternoon. Melby said that elector had been contacted and “no further action is required.”

That elector is Max Himsl, a plumber who moved to nan United Kingdom 2 and a half years agone pinch his wife, some of whom ballot successful Flathead County.

Himsl said successful an question and reply Monday nan 2 are presently connected picnic successful France and were checking their email past Friday erstwhile they noticed nan notification from nan Secretary of State’s Office notifying some they could formed their ballot done nan EAS portal.

“First question, correct retired nan bat, was nan statesmanlike election, and it was conscionable like, ‘Hold on, that’s not right,’” Himsl said. “And my wife, she went done each nan different races and location were each nan Democrats – they each looked fine. But not nan large one.”

He said he instantly called nan Flathead County Election Department to show them astir nan issue. Himsl said nan personification he said pinch told him others had called arsenic well.

Melby said nan agency received an email from a region charismatic that had said a elector had told them astir nan issue, which led to nan agency taking nan strategy offline.

Himsl showed nan Daily Montanan an email sent by a Flathead County elections master to him informing each Flathead County overseas voters that nan agency had “received reports” regarding nan issue, told nan Secretary of State’s Office, and that Jacobsen’s agency was taking “immediate action” to resoluteness nan issue. The Flathead County Election Department did not return a connection seeking explanation connected Friday’s timeline of events connected Monday.

But others nan Daily Montanan said pinch connected Monday said they had straight heard from much group successful different counties who had nan aforesaid rumor erstwhile trying to ballot from overseas connected Friday. Pat Dawson said he had friends surviving successful Asia who are voters successful Liberty County and had told him astir nan aforesaid issue. And Connor Fitzpatrick, nan predetermination section supervisor for Lewis and Clark County, said he besides received calls from voters connected Friday greeting astir Harris’s sanction not appearing.

But by that time, he said, nan Secretary of State’s Office was already moving connected taking nan portal down. He said nan Lewis and Clark County elections agency contacted those voters aft nan issues were fixed to fto them cognize nan tract was backmost up and running.

“They sent retired a wide email going, ‘Hey, there’s an rumor here. We’re gonna propulsion it down for a infinitesimal and make judge that we get it each taken attraction of,’” Fitzpatrick said.

Himsl said he and his woman successfully utilized nan strategy to formed their ballots connected Saturday.

“It was startling, but I’m gladsome they sewage it fixed quickly. But it benignant of upsets maine that – really did that hap successful nan first place?” he said. “… And did they not, like, trial nan strategy successful nan past week?”

Melby did not reply a mobility Monday astir what happened that led to Harris’s and Walz’s names not being disposable initially connected nan ballot successful nan ESA system.

Himsl said he was happy nan agency fixed nan rumor but felt nan Secretary of State’s Office’s news merchandise downplayed really galore group it affected because others had reported nan correction arsenic well.

“I don’t spot nan harm successful saying, ‘This happened, location was an issue. Luckily, it was picked up correct away; we apologize for it,’” he said. “There’s thing incorrect pinch saying that and owning a mistake, that possibly personification dropped nan shot aliases location was a bug successful nan system.”

Friday’s mailing of ballots to overseas and subject voters and nan opening of nan ESA portal marked nan opening of voting successful nan November election. Other absentee voters will person their ballots mailed retired connected Oct. 11, and polls will unfastened connected Nov. 5 astatine 7 a.m. for group who ballot successful person.

Jacobsen’s agency successful Monday’s news merchandise said voters should trust only connected “trusted sources for reliable predetermination information,” including her agency and nan 56 region predetermination offices.

“The Secretary of State’s Office appreciates nan vendor’s speedy troubleshooting and resolution,” nan merchandise said. “The Montana Elections Team is grateful to our Montana subject members serving abroad, and we’re honored to service them, their families, and overseas voters.”