.png)
Montana | Voting Guide
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: 30 days before Election Day.
If you miss the 30-day deadline to register by mail, you can still register in person.
As a result of a September 2022 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, voters may register in person until close of polls on Election Day. Please contact your local clerk for more information about where and when late registration is available in your county.
You must have resided in Montana for at least 30 days as of Election Day to register to vote in Montana.
2023
Municipal Primary Election: September 12
Municipal General Election: November 7
Official Election Websites
More election information available at:
Mail-in PDF Voter registration application available at:
sosmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/Montana_Voter_Registration_Application.pdf
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
Montana’s voter registration form asks for your Montana driver’s license or ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.
If you do not have these forms of identification, you may attach pdf copies of or present in person the following IDs:
Military ID card
A tribal photo ID card
A US Passport
A Montana Concealed Carry permit
OR:
A photo ID with your name AND a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows your name and address.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
Montana voters must present photo ID to vote. Acceptable forms of ID include a:
Montana driver's license or state ID
Tribal photo identification card
Student ID
Montana Voter Registration Card
Military ID
Montana Concealed Carry Permit
Voters without one of these forms of ID may present a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows the elector's name and current address; plus a photo identification that shows the elector's name.
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Look up your registration status, absentee ballot status, and polling place location and hours at:
How Can I Vote?
By Mail
Any registered voter may cast a mail ballot by submitting an application by mail or in person to the county election office by noon the day before Election Day. Eligible voters may also request a mail ballot in all elections when registering to vote using the state voter registration form.
Voters with disabilities may receive and mark their ballot electronically. For more information, visit: sosmt.gov/elections/disabilities/
Completed mail ballots must be received at the election office or a polling place by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Early In-person
Any eligible voter may cast an absentee ballot in-person at their county’s election office. Contact your county election office for locations and hours.
Election Day
Polling place hours vary by location. Find yours at:
If you are in line by the closing time, then you have a right to vote.
Curbside voting is available to voters with disabilities. For more information, visit:
Common Questions/Concerns
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
Federal Financial Aid
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Tuition Status
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in Montana affect my driver’s license or car registration?
As a new resident of Montana, you may be required to obtain a Montana driver's license and update your car's registration regardless of whether you register to vote there. For more information, you may wish to contact the Motor Vehicle Division of the Montana Department of Justice.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Montana legal professional.
Last updated June 2023