What qualifies someone as an elector in Montana?
Voters simply need to be US citizens, be 18 years of age or older, and have lived in the county for 30 days or more before the next election.
You cannot vote if you’re a convicted felon serving a sentence in a penal institution or if you’ve been judged in a court of law to be of unsound mind.
How do I know if I’m registered to vote?
The Secretary of State’s office has a handy tool called MyVoterPage. You put in some pretty basic information, and it pops up with your voter status, the address at which you’re registered, and whether you’re registered to vote absentee or at the polls. Your MyVoterPage can also tell you where you vote and in what districts you’re voting.
How does one register to vote or update their voter registration information?
- In person: Simply head on down to your County Elections Office and fill out a form with your Election Administrator. You can find your County Elections Office here.
- By mail: Print off a voter registration form, fill it out, sign it and send it to your County Elections Office.
- At the DMV: You can register to vote when you get a new driver’s license. However, if you decide to go this route, make sure the DMV employee has you sign your voter registration form. Unfortunately, many voters think they’re registered but are not because the DMV employee neglects to have them sign their form.
- Online: In absence of a state-ran online voter registration platform, we came together with our partners to create one! Check it out here.
- Election Day Registration: Anyone qualified to vote can register and vote up until Election Day in Montana at their local election’s office. Contact your County Elections Office to find out where they’ll be offering Election Day Registration in your county.
No matter what method you use to register to vote, you should receive a voter identification card in the mail within 30 days of registering. On your voter identification card, you can find your polling location and your senate and house districts. If you do not receive one, call your County Elections Office right away.
When do you need to update your voter registration information?
- When you move (This applies even if you move within the same precinct.)
- When you change your name
- When you change your signature
- When you turn 18
- If you’d like to vote absentee but currently vote at the polls.
- If you’re registered inactive
How do I register to vote absentee?
You can register to vote absentee using the normal voter registration form. Simply check the box under the title: Receive Your Ballot in the Mail. Note that if you change your mind and decide that you’d like to vote at the polls, you must bring your full absentee ballot and both envelopes to your polling location.
What if it says I’m an inactive voter?
If it says you’re an inactive voter, it means that you didn’t vote in the last federal general election and you didn’t respond to two pieces of mail sent after the federal general election to your voter address. It’s easy to fix, you can just:
- Call your County Elections Office and confirm your address. They can then put you back on the rolls as an active voter.
- Simply re-register to vote via any of the methods listed above.