Election news

Early voting

The Flathead County Election Department will begin mailing out absentee ballots for the Nov. 4 general election on Monday, Oct. 6. The deadline for residents who want to register to have an absentee ballot mailed to them is also Oct. 6. With 61,342 registered voters in the county, more than 14,000 residents have asked for absentee ballots.

House debate

The Daily Inter Lake will host a debate between U.S. House candidates Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish, and John Lewis, D-Helena, at the Flathead Valley Community College on Sunday, Oct. 19, beginning at 5 p.m.

Campaign meetings

Democratic Flathead County Commissioner candidate Stacey Schnebel will host a series of informal town hall meetings to allow the public an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback in a discussion-style format. She says the meetings are in response to Republican candidate Phil Mitchell’s refusal to participate in a public debate. The first meeting will be held in the Columbia Falls High School’s Little Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 6:30 p.m.