2020 General Election
Turnout rate (VEP)
0
%
Votes cast from mailed-out ballots
0
%
2016 General Election
Turnout rate (VEP)
0
%
Votes cast from mailed out ballots
0
%
State election policies as of 2022...
Full Vote-at-Home
0/10
Full Vote-at-Home
Voter automatically mailed ballot for every election
No Excuse Required
6/6
No Excuse Required
No excuse to vote from home
Single Sign-Up
6/6
Single Sign-Up
Voter signs up once to receive mail ballot for all future elections
Local Vote-at-Home Option
3/5
Local VAH Option
Local governments have discretion to conduct full vote-at-home elections
Online Mail Ballot Sign-Up
0/2
Online Mail Ballot Sign-Up
Voter can apply for mail ballot online
Ballot Tracking
1/4
Ballot Tracking
Voter can receive ballot status notifications.
In-Person Ballot Return
4/5
In-Person Ballot Return
Voter has multiple options to return mail ballot in person
Signature Verification
4/4
Signature Verification
Voter signature verified before ballot is counted
Ballot Cure Process
2/4
Ballot Cure Process
Voter can correct issues so ballot can be counted
Prepaid Postage
0/4
Prepaid Postage
Postage-paid return envelopes provided
Election Day Postmark Acceptance
0/4
Election Day Postmark Acceptance
Ballots postmarked by Election Day are accepted
In-Person Voting
2/4
In-Person Return
Physical locations for voters to vote and receive assistance
Pre-Processing
0/3
Signature Verification
Ballots are verified and scanned before Election Day
Mail Ballot Applications
2/2
Mail Ballot Applications
Election officials can mail ballot applications to all voters eligible to vote from home
Ballot Return Assistance
2/2
Ballot Return Assistance
Voters may receive assistance to return their mail ballot
Last Updated
Opportunities
By transitioning to Vote By Mail permanently, as 46 of 56 counties chose to in 2020, Montana can continue the excellent progress made to expand voter access and convenience. As states transition to Vote By Mail, during the first few election cycles states see a precipitous drop in in-person voting. Once this happens, Montana can save a substantial amount by consolidating polling locations into vote centers.
Creating an online portal for voters to register to vote and request an absentee ballot that feeds directly into the voter registration system is an important step to help verify addresses, collect contact information, and remove administrative steps to process a large amount of applications. We encourage an integrated process that allows new voters to register and allows current voters to make changes to their address and make requests for ballots in a seamless manner.
Providing prepaid postage is a voter-centric reform that ensures there are no financial barriers to the vote. While executive orders temporarily implemented prepaid postage in 2020, the state should make prepaid postage permanent for all future elections.
Ballot tracking software such as Ballot Scout or BallotTrax can be a very cost-effective tool to improve Montana’s current ballot tracking system. It adds a layer of data for the elections office and provides a means of contacting voters if there is a signature mismatch or deficiency on their return envelope. An expanded notification system helps keep rejection rates low and increases voter confidence and participation.
Voters should have sufficient time to correct any issues with their ballot In the event that a voter’s ballot is rejected. Montana’s current cure deadline of election day leaves many voters behind. We recommend implementing a Text2Cure system that allows voters to cure their ballots from their phones.
Expanding accepting of ballots with Election Day postmarks received shortly after election day is a best practice to ensure that voters are given all options to vote their ballot in a timely manner, and one that Montana already follows: Montana already offers postmark acceptance for military and overseas voters. Accepting Election Day postmarks is estimated in most jurisdictions to decrease ballot rejection rates by half.
Offering secure drop boxes as another method for voters to return ballots is a cost-effective way to reduce strain on the postal system, and boxes are sometimes a preferred method by voters who want an extra bit of reassurance that their ballot makes it to the elections office on time. We highly recommend including provisions to allow for ballots to be received at polling places, vote centers, and drop boxes, as well as other locations deemed necessary by the clerk.
We highly recommend creating vote centers, or polling locations where any voter in the county can vote. This is a way to streamline the system so over time, as the share of the vote cast by mail increases, counties can have fewer overall polling locations, while individual voters will have more voting location options.
Current law only allows voters to cure any fixable issues with their ballots by election day, leaving out any voters whose ballots haven’t been processed by then so they have no chance to ensure their ballots aren’t needlessly rejected. Extending the amount of time voters have to cure issues with their ballot envelopes would reduce rejection rates, and we recommend allowing cures for at least 5 days after election and implementing a Text2Cure system that allows voters to cure their ballots from their phones.
Recent Legislation
As of May 19, 2021
In response to the pandemic, Governor Bullock issued EOs 2-2020 and 3-2020, which allowed spring school district elections and the June primary election to be held entirely by mail. It specified that all-mail elections would be required to expand access to early in-person voting and to mail ballots at least 25 days before the election. It mandated that mail-in ballots include a notice informing voters that they did not have to include postage. It also urged Montanans living in counties and school districts not conducting all-mail elections to take advantage of Montana’s existing provision allowing no-excuse absentee voting. It encouraged counties to explore options for drive-up voter registration and voting and to otherwise promote voting by mail and early voting.
Additionally, during its 2021 session, the Montana Legislature passed several bills related to election law. These include:
HB 176: This bill repealed the provision that allowed same-day voter registration throughout the early voting period. In the future, registration will close on the Friday before election day.
HB 429: This bill limited the Governor’s powers to suspend election laws or change the manner of elections during states of emergency; now, the Governor must obtain the Legislature’s approval before making such changes.
SB 169: This bill amended voter ID requirements, including requirements for mail-in voters; these amendments do not significantly change Montanan voters’ access to ballots.
SB 170: This bill changed how often the State must check the national change of address files in order to de-register doubly-registered voters.
SB 93: This bill allows political parties to appoint at least one poll watcher to observe any ballot drop box used during a mail ballot election.