BOZEMAN, Mont. — For some voters, Election Day meant heading straight to the polls. For others, it meant making an unexpected stop at the Gallatin County Courthouse and waiting in line to make sure they could cast a ballot.
WATCH: Gallatin County Courthouse sees steady Election Day crowds
The courthouse saw a steady stream of people beginning Tuesday morning, with voters reporting wait times of around an hour and a half around midday. People were there for a variety of reasons, including registering to vote, updating their addresses and dropping off completed mail-in ballots.
For one voter, Colton Gribble, the trip came after an unexpected discovery: he wasn't registered to vote.
"I thought I was registered, but I'm not," Gribble said. "I went up to the Lutheran church and found out that I wasn't. So I had to drive all the way down here."
Gribble said the wait wasn't too bad, especially compared with his memories of the presidential election, when snow and long lines made voting a different experience.
Another voter, Daniel Copp, was registering in Gallatin County for the first time.
Copp said getting to the right place took a few extra stops. He initially went to the fairgrounds before being directed to the courthouse. He also said he stopped at the Public Safety Center next door before finding the correct office.
"Finally getting it done. Moving on up," Copp said. Despite the extra steps and the wait, Copp said he was excited to vote. "I'm excited, yeah. There are some issues that I feel strongly about," he said.
As the line continued to move, volunteers helped direct people through the process.
Gail Miller Richardson was volunteering with Gallatin County for the first time on Election Day.
"It's been pretty darn steady most of the day," she said. "They always need people on Election Day. It's very, very busy. So I thought, why not?"
For those who arrived thinking they were already registered or who were voting in Gallatin County for the first time, Election Day came with a few extra steps and, for many, a little extra waiting.
But as the line continued to move, voters and volunteers alike were focused on getting people through the process and making sure they had the opportunity to participate.
