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Elections & Government Services
P.O. Box 202801
Helena, MT 59620-2801
State Capitol, Room 260
1301 6th Avenue
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 444-4732
Fax (406) 444-2023 |
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Elections & Government Services Deputy
Lisa Kimmet
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Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot.
To vote absentee:
- Fill out an Application for Absentee Ballot, available 75 days before election day.
- Applications are available at the county election office, or can be downloaded here.
- Drop the application off, or mail it to the county election office before noon the day before election day.
- 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.
- 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.
For more information about voting, call your local election office or call the Secretary of State’s toll-free voter hotline: 1-888-884-VOTE (8683).
Where do I register to vote?
Visit your local election office Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and complete a registration form.
Download a registration form here, print, complete and return to your county election office at least 30 days before election day OR
Late register after the 30-day regular registration deadline at your county election office up to and including on election day. No absentee ballots are issued between noon and 5:00 p.m. the day before the election however, so if you haven’t registered before then, you probably want to wait until election day to register and vote.
Fill out a registration form when you apply for or renew your driver's license at the office where you apply for or renew your Montana driver’s license.
If You Are an Individual with a Disability
If you have a physical disability or are unable to read or write, you may ask an election judge to help you mark your ballot for you. Or you can bring a friend or relative who, with the permission of the election judge, can go into the voting booth with you and help you vote.
Every polling place in Montana has at least one specialized voting machine that enables people with disabilities to vote independently and privately.
If you would like to designate an agent to assist you with the voting process, click here to download an application for designation of an agent. Deliver the signed application to your local election office. |
Types of Ballots
A paper ballot. Using the pencil or pen provided, you'll indicate your choices by marking the oval or box next to the names of the candidates you want to vote for. Paper ballots are counted by hand.
An optical-scan ballot. Using the pen or pencil provided, you'll indicate your choices by coloring in a small oval or by drawing a solid line to connect two ends of an arrow, depending on which type of ballot tabulating equipment is in use in your country. Optical scan ballots are counted by machine.
For more information on the type of ballot used in your county, see the page on county voting systems.
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Voter Information
One of the most important rights we enjoy as citizens of our state and nation is the right to vote for the people who make and uphold our laws. This right is the foundation upon which our democratic form of government is based. Many people in the world do not share this right. It's a civic duty we should all feel privileged to perform.
Year after year, Montanans have demonstrated their strong sense of community and their commitment to democracy by having one of the highest voter turnout rates in the nation.
How to Register to Vote
- Visit your county election office Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and complete a registration form.
- Fill out a voter registration card and drop it off at your county election office, or mail it to the county election administrator.
- Fill out a registration form when you apply for or renew your driver's license.
- You will need to provide your Montana driver’s license number when you register. If you do not have a Montana driver’s license, you will need to provide the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you have neither number, you will need to provide another form of identification.
- You will need to provide a residence address. The residence address must be in the county in which you are registering.
- The deadline for regular registration is 30 days before any election. If you miss that deadline, you can still register and vote in the election by late registering at your county election office. You can late-register right up until close of polls on election day.
Late registration is available at any time right up through the close of polls on election day. No absentee ballots are issued between noon and 5:00 p.m. the day before the election however, so if you haven’t registered before then, you probably want to wait until election day to register and vote.
Once you've registered, you'll get a voter confirmation notice from your county election office verifying your registration and telling you which precinct and which polling place you vote in.
Be sure to keep your voter registration current by filling out a new card if your name or address changes. If you move and become a resident of another Montana county, you must re-register in that county.
If you are a student going to college in another county you can
- choose to vote in your county of permanent residence, either by going to the polls or by absentee ballot, or
- register in the county where you are going to college and vote in that county.
- if you are an out-of-state student going to school in Montana, choose to become a resident of Montana if you have resided in Montana for at least 30 days, and vote in the county where you are going to school, OR
- you may vote in your original state, but you cannot vote in both states.
How to Vote
Your voter registration confirmation card lists the location of your polling place. If you've misplaced your card, call your local election administrator to find out where to vote.
You can also check your polling place location on-line at http://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/
If you're unable to drive to the polls yourself, contact your county election office for options for voting including voting by absentee ballot, or getting a ride from a community service organization that may be providing transportation in your community.
The Polling Place
- Before you will be permitted to receive a ballot, you will need to present a current ID. If you do not have a photo ID, you can provide a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, voter confirmation notice, government check or other government document that shows your name and current address.
- If you do not have any of the items listed above, you can still vote by requesting and filling out a “Polling Place Elector ID” form.
- Or, you can vote a provisional ballot and provide one of the items listed above. Your provisional ballot will be counted if you provide one of the items on the list to the county election office by 5:00 p.m. the day after the election, or mail it to the county election office postmarked by the day after the election.
- If the election officials at the polls determine that you are at the wrong polling place you have several options:
- If you arrive at the polling place and are told that the address you provide does not match what is in the register because your residence within the county has changed, you may fill out a card to update your information, and vote one time at that precinct and polling place.
- You can go to the precinct and polling place where you are currently registered to cast your ballot.
- You can go to the county election office, update your registration information and cast a ballot there.
- Once you have presented ID, an election judge will have you sign the precinct register.
- An election judge will give you your ballot(s), and explain how to mark it and what to do with it once you have voted.
- Each polling place has a voting machine accessible to people with disabilities that allows them to vote independently and privately. If you wish to use this machine, known as an AutoMARK, let the election judge know.
- You will enter a private voting booth. Instructions on marking your ballot are posted in the booth, and are on the ballot.
- You do not have to vote on every issue on the ballot. However, if you vote more than once on a candidate or on an issue with only one choice allowable, the vote(s) in that race will not be counted.
- Turn the ballot over to see if there are candidates or issues on which to vote on the back of the ballot.
- If you damage a ballot, make a mistake, or change your mind, take the ballot back to the election judge and request a new one. Do not try to erase or cross out as it may cause a vote to not be counted.
- Do not make any identifying marks anywhere on the ballot.
- When you have finished voting, follow the instructions given to you by the election judge. Hand the voted ballot to the appropriate election judge. Never hand your ballot to anyone besides an election judge.
Who Can Vote
To vote in Montana, you must:
- Be registered as required by law.
- Be 18 years old or older on or before the next election.
- Be a citizen of the United States.
- Have lived in Montana for at least 30 days.
You cannot vote if:
- You're a convicted felon serving a sentence in a penal institution.
- You've been judged in a court of law to be of unsound mind.
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