Election Day is November 8
- October 11 Deadline to postmark or submit regular voter registration
- October 12 First day of late voter registration at your county election office
- November 7 Deadline for election authority to receive application for absentee ballot
- November 7 Deadline for late voter registration
- November 8 Deadline to postmark absentee ballots
- November 8 Election Day
To register to vote in Montana, you must:
- Be 18 years old or older on or before the next election
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be a resident of Montana for at least 30 days
- Not be a convicted felon serving a sentence in a penal institution
- Not been judged in a court of law to be of unsound mind
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. Late registration closes at noon on the day before an election.
- Fill out and sign a voter registration application and drop it off at your county election office, or mail it to the county election administrator. ID numbers provided on the voter registration card are kept confidential and are not available for public inspection.
- Fill out and sign a registration form when you apply for or renew your driver’s license or Montana ID.
Voter ID Requirements
At the polling place, you must show one of the following:
- Montana driver’s license
- Montana ID card
- Last four digits of social security number
- Military ID card
- Tribal photo ID card
- United States Passport
- Concealed carry permit
Or you can bring a photo ID with the individual’s name and at least one of the following qualifying items:
- Current utility bill
- Bank statement
- Paycheck or government check
- Other government document that includes 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.
Absentee Voting
Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot:
- Fill out an Application for Absentee Ballot to have ballots for which you are eligible automatically mailed to you.
- An application may be mailed, or dropped off at the county election office.
- Applications must be received by the county election office by noon the day before the election. If you drop off the application you will be able to pick up the absentee ballot at the same time, once ballots are available.
- 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 signature envelope before sending back or dropping off. Note: The person to whom the ballot was issued must be the person signing the return envelope.
- You can track your absentee ballot for federal/state elections at My Voter Page.
Resources
- Guide for Voter Registration Drives in Montana
- Native American Voting Rights (NAVRA)
- A Tribal Leaders Guide to Prepare for the Next Election
- Addressing: A Guide for Tribes
- Native Language Speakers Have Voting Rights!
- Examples of Voter Discrimination and Suppression in Indian Country
- Native Americans Depend on Ballot Collection
Tribes in Montana
Federally recognized tribes
- Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana
- Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation
- Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana
- Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
- Crow Tribe of Montana
- Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana
- Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation
- Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation
State recognized tribes
- None
Native Vote Coordinators
Sign up to be a local Native Vote coordinator
Major Party Contact Information
Democrat
Chair, Jim Larson
www.montanademocrats.org
Republican
Chairman, Jeff Essmann
www.mtgop.org