2024 MONTANA VOTER GUIDE
1.Voter Registration
Deadline to Register/Update by Mail: Must be postmarked by October 7, 2024
In-Person Registration available on Election Day
2. Check Your Registration
Why check your registration? Your address is where election officials send notices, application forms to receive your ballot in the mail, and more. Additionally, poll workers will check if the address on your voter registration matches the address on your ID at the polls.
Check Your Registration Online
Update Your Registration Online
Checklist:
- Is your name spelled correctly? (Correct hyphenations, middle initials, etc)
- Correct Address
- Active Voter Status (if not update by sending in another online/mail voter application)
- Correct Date of Birth
- Correct Political Party Preference
- Take a time-stamped photograph or screenshot of your registration, and take it with you to the polls as proof of your registration.
3. Voter ID Law
Source: Ballotpedia
Montana requires voters to present identification while voting.
Forms of accepted ID include the following:
- Montana driver’s license
- Montana state identification card issued pursuant to 61-12-501
- Military identification card, tribal photo identification card
- United States passport
- Montana concealed carry permit
- or two forms of identification including the following:
- (A) a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows the elector’s name and current address; and
- (B) photo identification that shows the elector’s name, including but not limited to a school district or postsecondary education photo identification.
On March 27, 2024, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that the portion of SB 169 that precluded the use of student ID for voter identification was unconstitutional. See here for more.
4. Order Your Absentee Mail Ballot
Deadline to apply for Absentee Mail Ballot: Must be received by 12:00 noon on November 4, 2024
We recommend requesting your absentee mail ballot as soon as possible and well in advance of this deadline in order to ensure that you receive your ballot in time.
- Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot.
- Absentee ballots for federal/state elections are mailed to eligible voters 25 days before election day.
Request Absentee Mail Ballot Online
Track Absentee Mail Ballot Online
To vote absentee:
- Fill out an Application for Absentee Ballot.
- An application may be mailed, or dropped off at the county election office.
- If you change your voter registration or change to an absentee ballot within 30 days of the election during the “late registration” period, you will need to pick up the ballot from the election office.
- An absentee voting packet will be mailed to the address you indicated on your application, or you can pick up the packet at the county election office at the time you apply for the absentee ballot, if ballots are available at that time.
- After voting the absentee ballot, return in the envelope(s) provided. READ INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED WITH THE PACKET CAREFULLY.
- Be sure to sign the affirmation on the return envelope before sending back or dropping off. Note: The person to whom the ballot was issued must be the person signing the return envelope.
Deadline to return Absentee Mail Ballot: Must be received by 8:00 PM on November 5, 2024
Surrendering Your Absentee Ballot:
Montana does not have the Surrender Rule. If you bring your absentee ballot to surrender at the polling place on Election Day, they will still make you vote with a provisional ballot at the polls, no exceptions.
Montana voters should be instructed to locate and fill out their Absentee Ballots beforehand. If they cannot locate it, they should request a replacement ballot to ensure they are not forced to vote with a provisional ballot in-person at the polling location. Voters can drop off absentee ballots at polling locations until 8 pm on Election Day.
- Sources:
All voters issued absentee ballots will be marked absentee. Voters marked Absentee must vote a PROVISIONAL BALLOT if they show up to vote at the polls and do not have their original ballot.
5. Early Voting Information
Early voting is available with an absentee ballot from October 7 – November 4, 2024.
- For early absentee voting locations, look up your voter information here:
https://prodvoterportal.mt.gov/WhereToVote.aspx - To vote early, submit an application for an absentee ballot to your local election office. You can do this by signing up to have a ballot mailed to you or by going in-person to your elections office 30 days prior to an election.
- For federal elections, ballots are mailed 25 days prior to Election Day. The deadline to request an early ballot is always 12:00 noon the day before the election. Voted ballots must be received (not postmarked) by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
For more information regarding federal, state and local elections contact your local election office. You can find a contact list here: https://sosmt.gov/Portals/142/Elections/Forms/electionadministrators.pdf
6. Become a Poll Worker!
Poll workers must be 18 years old or over, and a registered voter in their county.
To sign up, visit: https://sosmt.gov/elections/judge/