BOZEMAN — Voters cast their ballots Tuesday at the Gallatin County courthouse in Bozeman.
According to Gallatin County Election Administrator Eric Semerad, Tuesday was a "smooth but slow day."
Earlier Tuesday, MTN News reported that more than 22,000 absentee ballots had been received. Overall voter turnout stood at approximately 23 per cent of eligible voters.
"It's about the same," he said. "Maybe a little less than a presidential primary."
As the polls were coming to a close, Semerad said those numbers still held true.
"Most of that is absentee voters," Semerad explained. "That's a large majority of our voters."
Gallatin County resident and voter, Isabel Friedman used to be an absentee voter and decided to vote in-person this time.
"I think there's just something cool about feeling like you're participating in a public process that we all get to do as Americans," Friedman said.
Friedman has been living in Bozeman for two years. MTN News caught up with Friedman an hour before the polls closed.
"I honestly was working all day and I had to go feed the horses," Friedman said. "Now, I'm done and figured I'd sneak in before the polls close."
Friedman shared why she felt voting in the primary election was important.
"I'm really concerned about data centers right now," she explained. "I think this election is really important for us to get ahead of the issues that are already impacting communities."
Another Bozeman resident MTN News spoke with earlier Tuesday shared similar sentiment.
“I think it's really important as a citizen," explained voter Timothy Spring. "It's one of the rights that we have."
Spring, who has lived in Gallatin County since 2002, said he makes an effort to vote in every election, from school elections to state and federal primaries.
“I think it’s really important to exercise that civic duty and responsibility and right,” he said.
WATCH: Gallatin County sees steady primary election turnout Tuesday afternoon
Spring also expressed confidence in the county’s election process and voiced support for mail-in voting.
“I think they do a good job in Gallatin County of ensuring that only people who are able to vote, vote,” he said.
