Montana Voting Guide

Montana‘s voting rules are clear for most voters, but situations such as a past felony conviction or uncertain registration status can create difficulties. If you believe your voting rights have been violated, consult a civil rights attorney to understand your options and next steps.

Am I eligible to vote in Montana?

To be eligible to vote in Montana, you must be a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old on Election Day, and a registered voter for at least 30 days.

The following people are not able to vote in Montana:

• People serving time in a correctional facility for a felony offense
• Individuals the court has deemed mentally incompetent

Once you complete your criminal sentence, your voting rights are automatically restored. However, you must re-register to vote.

Your Rights as a Voter in Montana

Both Montana and federal law protect your right to vote free from interference. Whether you’re voting in person or by absentee ballot, these protections apply to you.

• Vote privately and without influence: The Montana Constitution, Article IV, Section 1, guarantees that all elections are conducted by secret ballot. Montana state laws reinforce that protection. No person within or near a polling place may ask whether you intend to vote or how you have voted on any candidate or ballot issue.
• Remain in line until you have voted: If you are in line when polls close at 8 p.m., you have the right to stay and cast your ballot. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
• Cast a provisional ballot if your eligibility is questioned: If an election official questions your registration or ID at the polls, you can cast a provisional ballot. Your ballot will be set aside pending review, and you have until 5:00 p.m. on the day after the election to provide valid identification or eligibility information. This can be in person, by fax, electronically, or by mail, postmarked no later than the day after the election. If your eligibility is confirmed, your vote will be counted.
• Ask for help: If you are unsure how to cast your ballot, you can ask an election judge or poll worker for assistance. You can also bring someone with you to help, as long as that person is not your employer or union representative.  
• Vote free from intimidation and coercion: State and federal law prohibit anyone from using threats, coercion, or intimidation to interfere with how or whether you vote. No person may interfere with a voter lawfully exercising their right to vote in order to prevent the election from being fairly and lawfully conducted. This applies to private citizens, campaign workers, and government officials alike.

Montana law is designed to protect your right to vote. If you believe that your rights have been violated, a civil rights attorney can help you understand your options.

Where Do I Vote?

To find out where you can vote, visit Montana’s Secretary of State’s Voting Portal. Enter your name and date of birth, and the portal will identify your polling place.

On Election Day, voting centers are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

FIND OUT WHERE TO VOTE

How does voting registration work in Montana?

Some Montanans may be unsure of their eligibility to vote in an upcoming election. To determine if you are registered to vote, visit the My Voter Page.

If you did not vote in the last federal election, election officials may have changed your voter registration status to inactive, which means you must re-register. This is done at polling location. Montana allows Election Day registration.

Special programs are also in place to help people in unique circumstances register to vote. These include:

• Domestic violence survivors: Montana participates in the Address Confidentiality Program to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The Montana Attorney General’s office oversees this program. Once you enroll in ACP, you can create an alternate address and mail forwarding service. This helps prevent your location information from becoming available to the public. Learn more about the program here.
• Homeless and impermanent voters: If you are homeless or do not have a traditional residential address, you can still register to vote. You must show a photo ID and provide an address to receive mail. If you are registered to vote, you can vote by absentee ballot without an ID. You don’t have to risk your safety to vote in person.
• Convicted felons: If you have a felony conviction, the state temporarily suspends your voting rights. Once you complete your sentence, election officials automatically restore these rights, and you can re-register to vote. You can vote while on parole or probation.

More information can be found on the Montana Secretary of State’s website.

What Is Montana’s voter registration deadline?

Regular voter registration closes 30 days before Election Day at 5 p.m. You can submit a late registration application at specific locations up until the polls close on Election Day. This late registration window is closed between noon and 5 p.m. the day before the election.

What kind of elections use only mail-in ballots in Montana?

Some municipalities or jurisdictions use mail-in ballots for local elections. This could include any of the following types of elections:

• City or township positions
• School board elections
• Fire, water, and sewer positions

For these elections, officials will mail a ballot. You can’t go to a physical location. If you do not want to mail it, you can hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office.

How do I request an absentee ballot in Montana?

Any registered voter can request to vote by absentee ballot. Download the Absentee Ballot Request Form, complete it, and mail it to your county elections office. You can also drop it off at the local Board of Elections office.

If you want the state to mail your ballot, you must submit your application early. Election officials will need time to receive and review your application and mail your ballot. If you wait until the last minute, you may not have your ballot in time for the election.

You can deliver your application to the county election office as late as noon on the day before Election Day, and even pick up your absentee ballot that day. If you are a military member or live overseas, you can use the FVAP website to request an absentee ballot.

What should I bring to the polls on Election Day in Montana?

When voting at the polls, voter identification is required. You must have a current photo ID with your address. Most people use their Montana driver’s license, which serves as the standard voter ID accepted at polling stations.

You can also provide a photo ID card with one of the following documents showing your name and current address. These forms of identification are accepted alongside your photo ID:

• Current utility bill
• Paycheck or government check
• Voter registration confirmation card
• Bank statement
• Other government documents

If you don’t have these documents, you can still cast your ballot using other methods:

• Ask for a Polling Place Elector ID form, fill it out, and vote. An election judge will then verify your information by contacting the Election Office, and you may cast a regular ballot if verified.
• You can also vote using a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot only counts if you provide one of the above forms of ID to your county election official by 5 p.m. the day after the election. You can also mail it to the county election office with a postmark of the day after the election.

Don’t leave the polling station without casting a vote.

Are there special accommodations for Montana voters?

Every polling place in Montana has at least one special voting station for persons with disabilities. They may have an AutoMARK™ or an ExpressVote® machine. The Secretary of State Election Division website has both information and a video about how to use these machines. When you arrive at the polling place, let a poll worker know you want to use the ADA-compliant voting booth. Accessible voting machines have audio units and breath-activated capabilities.

You can bring someone with you to the polling place or ask workers or volunteers for help with checking in, any step of the voting process, or checking out. You can designate a person to assist you using the Designation of Agent by Individual with Disability form.

If you have difficulty accessing the polling place, you can ask the election judge to provide curbside voting. You also have the option of absentee voting or participating in early voting where available.

What if I see something illegal at the polls?

The first step to recognizing a problem is to understand what is and what is not allowed at and around your polling place. Knowing what to look for and who to report illegal activities to, allows you to protect your vote, your right to vote, and the vote of others. 

Electioneering Near the Polls

Montana state law prohibits electioneering at any polling place or within 100 feet of any entrance to the building where voting takes place. This ban applies on Election Day and covers voters, candidates, campaign workers, and members of the general public. Candidates, their family members, and campaign workers or volunteers are prohibited from giving voters alcohol, tobacco, food, drinks, or any other item of value inside a polling place or within 100 feet of any entrance to the building where voting is taking place.

Montana also prohibits anyone from wearing or displaying campaign badges, buttons, or other insignia at or about the polls on Election Day. If you arrive wearing a political button or campaign item, an election judge may ask you to remove or cover it. The Montana Administrative Rules exclude ordinary bumper stickers displayed on vehicles driving through or parked near the polling place. 

Others at the Polls

On Election Day, you may encounter individuals at or near your polling place who are not voting. Understanding their roles and permitted activities can help you feel more confident in the process.

Poll watchers are permitted under Montana law. They observe ballot processing and vote counting, which must take place in a public area under the supervision of trained election officials. Poll watchers are there only to observe. They cannot approach you, speak to you about your vote, or interfere with your ability to cast a ballot.

Federal law prohibits stationing armed military or federal personnel at polling places. Any officer of the Army or Navy, or other person serving in a civil, military, or naval capacity for the United States, who orders or maintains troops or armed personnel at a polling location faces fines, up to five years in prison, and disqualification from holding federal office. The only exception is when armed force is necessary to repel enemies of the United States. Any armed individual who acts to intimidate voters, whether a government official or a private citizen, may still face prosecution under state and federal law.

A court may authorize federal observers. The Attorney General may also certify their appointment if certain conditions are met. Their role is limited to observing whether eligible voters are being allowed to vote and whether votes are being properly tabulated. Federal observers then report those findings to the Attorney General. They have no authority to question voters or enforce laws.

What Voter Intimidation Looks Like

Federal law makes it a crime to intimidate, threaten, or coerce anyone in connection with their right to vote.

Examples of voter intimidation include:

• Following or surveilling voters as they approach a polling place
• Aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship or eligibility
• Spreading false information about voting locations or deadlines
• Displaying weapons near a polling place in a way designed to cause fear; or 
• Physically blocking someone from entering

This is not an exhaustive list.

How To Report a Problem

If you see or experience anything illegal at the polls, or have a complaint about an election official, you can report it to any of the following:

• The election judge or Chairman of the Election Board at your polling place
• Your local County Attorney
• The Montana Secretary of State‘s Fair Elections Center, which accepts Potential Election Law Violation Reports and refers them to the appropriate county attorney, county election administrator, or Commissioner of Political Practices.

If you witness any suspicious activity that affects Montana elections or ballot issue signature gathering, report it to the Secretary of State’s Office as soon as possible. You can also download and fill out a Potential Election Law Violation Report for the activity you witnessed and:

• Email it to fairelections@mt.gov
• Fax it (406) 444-2023
• Mail it to the Fair Elections Center, P.O. Box 202801, Helena, Montana 59620-2801

You can also report voting law violations to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Do not confront an alleged violator directly. Instead, notify a poll worker or election official. If you experience intimidation or harassment at the polls, inform a poll worker or request to speak with the Chairman of the Election Board.

A Montana Civil Rights Lawyer Can Help

If you believe your voting rights have been violated, contact a local Montana civil rights attorney. An attorney can also answer questions about the voting process, help you prepare for the next election, or help you understand your rights as a resident of Montana.