Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question that is not listed below, contact the Elections Division at soselections@mt.gov or call 888-884-VOTE.
Q.What are the dates of the federal primary and general elections?
A: A Federal primary election is held every even-numbered year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June. A Federal general election is held every even-numbered year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The presidential elections are combined with the congressional, statewide, state district, and county elections.
Q. What are the dates of municipal primary and general elections?
A. A municipal primary election, if necessary, is held every odd-numbered year on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in September. A municipal general election is held every odd-numbered year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Q. Where can I find out information about school elections?
A. Visit the Office of Public Instruction website at http://opi.mt.gov/Finance&Grants/schoolfinance/Index.html#gpm1_10.
Q. What are the deadlines for the close of regular registration for the federal primary and general elections?
A. Regular registration closes 30 days before any election. Late registration begins the next day, and ends at the close of polls on election day (except from noon until 5:00 p.m. on the day before election day). Late registration can only be done at the county election administrator’s office or the location designated by the election administrator..
Q. Do I have to vote in a primary election in order to vote in the general election?
A. No.
Q. How do I register, update my registration, find out if my registration is still on file, or find out the location of my polling place?
A. Contact your county election administrator to register or update your registration or vist My Voter Page.
Q. Which parties are qualified for primary access in Montana? Is there party registration in Montana? Can people in a primary election vote for more than one party's candidates?
A. The list of Montana's qualified parties is available on our website at: http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Parties.
There is no party registration in Montana. Individuals who vote in a primary election are given all the parties' ballots, and can choose in private which party ballot they wish to vote. They return the voted ballots to an election judge in one sleeve, and the unvoted party ballots in a separate sleeve. Voters in a primary election cannot vote more than one party's ballots.
Q. How are Montana’s presidential electors chosen? What were the names of the presidential electors for the candidates on the most recent ballot?
A. The applicable laws and a complete list of Montana's presidential electors are available here.
Q. What is late registration and what are the dates that it opens and closes?
A. Late registration is an option for people who miss the regular registration deadline. It is available after the close of regular registration, up until and including the close of polls on election day, and can be done only at the county election office.
Late registration is closed from noon to 5 p.m. on the day before the election. Although you can drop off a registration card during this time, you will not receive your ballot unless you return to the election office on Election Day.
If you wish to avoid the possibility of long lines, register by the close of regular registration or as soon as possible after the start of the late registration period.
Q. During statewide election years, when does candidate filing open? When does it close?
A. Candidate filing opens 145 days before the primary, and closes 85 days before the primary.
Q. How do I find forms and information to run as a presidential, independent, write-in or minor-party candidates?
A. If you are interested in running as a presidential candidate, an independent, write-in candidate or as a representative of a party that has not qualified for the ballot in Montana, please contact Elections and Government Services at (406) 444-5346 or by email at soselections@mt.gov.
Additionally, information for and about write-in candidates is available at http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Write-In_Candidates.asp.
Q. Who can vote absentee in Montana?
A. Since October 1, 1999, anyone who wishes to vote absentee in Montana may do so, without having to specify a reason.
Q. When are the first and last days to request an absentee ballot?
A. There is no earliest day you can request to be on the absentee list, or that you can request an absentee ballot. The last day to send in or drop off a request is noon on the day before an election.
Q. What if I become ill and will not make it to the polls on election day?
A. If you request an absentee ballot because of a sudden illness or health emergency occurring between 5 p.m. of the Friday preceding the election and noon on election day, you may ask your county election administrator to have a special absentee election board bring an absentee ballot to you.
Q. Can people request to be placed on an annual absentee list?
A. Yes. In addition to a form available here, the application for an absentee ballot includes the option to receive ballots for subsequent elections. A person using the annual absentee list option can specify that they want to receive ballots for all elections for which they are eligible or just for each upcoming federal election. In order to stay on the list, citizens must respond to address confirmation mailings that will be sent in January of each year.
Q. How do I request an absentee ballot?
A. Print an absentee application from our website, fill it out, and fax or mail the form to your county election administrator.
| Absent Military and Overseas Electors |
Q. What are the options available to absent military and overseas electors?
A. Registering to vote and requesting absentee ballots in Montana is easy for absent military and overseas electors. The best form to use to do so is the Federal Post Card Application form. This form is used both for voter registration and to request absentee ballots for all the state and local elections in the calendar year in which it is requested. Absent military and overseas electors can also use the Montana Secretary of State's Electronic Absentee System, available 45 days before a Federal Primary and Federal General election.
- Print a Federal Post Card Application form, fill out and mail it to the local election office.
- Visit your local election office on weekdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and complete a Federal Post Card Application form.
- Another source of information is the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which has forms and tips on registration and voting, including information about options for voting by facsimile and through the Internet.
- You can also reach the FVAP at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683).
Q.What options do election administrators have in order to make the sending and receiving of ballots go faster?
A. Each election administrator may do the following in any election by fax or Internet (if Internet facilities providing for secrecy are available). Check with your county election administrator to see if these services are available:
(1) register an individual to vote;
(2) give notice of registration;
(3) receive requests for an absentee ballot;
(4) transmit absentee ballots to electors; and
(5) receive voted absentee ballots from electors.
Q. When is the earliest date that absent military and overseas electors can request absentee ballots?
A. There is no earliest date for absent military and overseas electors to request absentee ballots.
Q. What should I do if I am not sure that my absentee ballot will reach me or that my voted ballot will reach the election administrator on time?
A. You can choose use the Secretary of State's Electronic Absentee System, or contact your county election administrator for information or vote a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, which will be counted if your regular absentee ballot is not received in time. If you choose this option, as long as you mail your Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot on or before election day and your county election administrator receives it within 6 days of the election, it will be counted.
Q. What kind of elections can be conducted by mail ballot?
A. Generally, any municipal (city or town) election or district election (school, fire, water and sewer, etc.) can be conducted by mail ballot.
Elections that cannot currently be conducted by mail ballot include any regularly scheduled federal, state, or county elections; any special federal or state elections, unless authorized by the legislature; or any regularly scheduled or special elections when another election in the political subdivision is taking place at the polls on the same day.
Q. How is a mail ballot election different than a non-mail ballot election?
A. In mail ballot elections, all qualified voters are mailed ballots on the same day without having to requesting them. Inactive electors are not mailed ballots in a mail ballot election, and must contact the county election office to update their voter registration information before getting a ballot.
Q . What if I am going to be absent during a mail ballot election – how do I still receive a ballot?
A. You may vote in person in the election administrator's office as soon as ballots are available. Or, you can make a signed written request that the ballot be mailed to an address other than the address that appears on your registration card. The ballot will be mailed on the same day all other ballots are mailed.
Any such in-person or written requests must be accepted until noon the day before the ballots are scheduled to be mailed.
Q.What if I want to drop my mail ballot off rather than mailing it?
A. You always have the option to drop your ballot off at the county election office or at one or more alternative drop-off sites chosen at the option of the county election administrator. Any such drop-off sites will be noted in your mail ballot materials.
Q. What kind of voting systems are available in Montana?
A. Montana counties all use paper ballots. The majority of the counties use optical scan voting machines. Some counties do not use voting equipment, and count the paper ballots by hand.
Q. What is a precinct level optical scan system and how is it different from other kinds of counting systems?
A. A precinct level optical scan voting system, also referred to as an M-100, involves placing your ballot in a machine after you have voted it. The system will notify you of an unvoted ballot if your ballot is completely blank and will tell you if you have overvoted and will allow you to exchange your ballot for a new one if necessary. If you get a different error message, an election judge will let you know what the message means and how to resolve the issue.
| Voting Systems Equipped for People with Disabilities |
Q. Are there voting systems in Montana that are equipped for people with disabilities?
A. Yes, they are referred to as AutoMARKs, and there is one at every polling place. You can find out more about the AutoMARK at http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Disabilities/.
Q. What if I do not choose to use the AutoMARK voting system?
A. The AutoMARK is optional; people can choose to use it or, if they need assistance, they have several options. Check out our website at http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Vote/index.asp#disability for more information.
Q. Where can I find out information about starting a ballot issue or about current and past ballot issues?
A. You can go to our website at http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Ballot_Issues for information about ballot issues.
Q. Where can I go to find past election results, including information about votes cast on candidates and ballot issues, the number of polling places and precincts, and turnout by county?
A. Click on the following link: http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Results.
Q.On election night during the federal primary and general elections, where can I go for the latest election results?
A. You can go to the SOS website at http://sos.mt.gov for the latest unofficial results on election night.
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