Why It Matters
Montana voters are adjusting to stricter election laws that took effect in 2025, with hundreds of ballots flagged for missing information in recent school elections. The changes represent a significant shift in how Montanans cast their votes and could affect turnout in upcoming primary elections.
What Happened
Yellowstone County election officials sent more than 1,500 notifications to voters whose school election ballots were at risk of rejection, primarily because they failed to write their birth year on the return envelope. The birth year requirement became mandatory for Montana mail voters starting with 2025 municipal elections.
Elections Administrator Dayna Causby said roughly 216 of the flagged ballots were resolved before vote counting began Tuesday night. Voters had until 5 p.m. Wednesday to correct any problems with their ballots.
The learning curve remains steep even for repeat voters. Causby noted that some people who voted last fall still forgot to include their birth year, and even an election worker in her office made the same mistake.
By The Numbers
- 1,531 ballots flagged for potential rejection in Yellowstone County school elections
- 216 ballots resolved before Tuesday night vote counting began
- Friday deadline for mailing absentee ballots to registered voters for the primary election
- Noon cutoff on Election Day for new voter registration, down from 8 p.m. previously
What Changed
Beyond the birth year requirement for mail ballots, Montana implemented additional election integrity measures affecting in-person voting. Voters must now present specific forms of identification to receive a ballot, including a Montana driver’s license, state ID card, military ID, tribal ID, passport, concealed carry permit, or student ID from a Montana University System or NCAA member school.
Alternatively, voters can use a current utility bill, bank statement, or government document showing their name and address combined with a photo ID. Previously, any photo identification was sufficient.
Voter registration deadlines also shifted. Montanans can no longer register on the Monday before Election Day. County election offices now open all day the Saturday before Election Day for new registrations or address changes. On Election Day itself, registration stops at noon rather than remaining open until polls close.
Zoom Out
Ravalli County Elections Administrator Regina Plettenburg said county officials requested the registration deadline changes after years of last-minute voter registrations that kept polling places open well past 8 p.m. In some cases, late-registration lines weren’t resolved until early the following morning.
Multiple voting rights groups have filed lawsuits against Montana’s secretary of state challenging the new voter ID and registration laws. The litigation remains ongoing, meaning courts could overturn or block the requirements at any point during the 2026 election cycle.
What’s Next
Absentee ballots for the primary election are scheduled to be mailed Friday to voters on the absentee list. County election administrators urged voters to carefully review the new requirements before submitting their ballots to avoid rejection.
The legal challenges to Montana’s election laws will continue through the primary season, with potential impacts on how the November general election is conducted.
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