13-13-201. Voting by absentee ballot — procedures. (1) A legally registered elector or provisionally registered elector is entitled to vote by absentee ballot as provided for in this part.

Terms Used In Montana Code 13-13-201

  • Ballot: means a paper ballot counted manually or a paper ballot counted by a machine, such as an optical scan system or other technology that automatically tabulates votes cast by processing the paper ballots. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Election: means a general, special, or primary election held pursuant to the requirements of state law, regardless of the time or purpose. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Election official: means an election administrator, election deputy, or election judge. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Elector: means an individual qualified to vote under state law. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Mail ballot election: means any election that is conducted under Title 13, chapter 19, by mailing ballots to all active electors. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Place of deposit: means a location designated by the election administrator pursuant to 13-19-307 for a mail ballot election conducted under Title 13, chapter 19. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Provisionally registered elector: means an individual whose application for voter registration was accepted but whose identity or eligibility has not yet been verified as provided by law. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Signature envelope: means an envelope that contains a secrecy envelope and ballot and that is designed to:

    (a)allow election officials, upon examination of the outside of the envelope, to determine that the ballot is being submitted by someone who is in fact a qualified elector and who has not already voted; and

    (b)allow it to be used in the United States mail. See Montana Code 13-1-101

(2)The elector may vote absentee by:

(a)marking the ballot in the manner specified;

(b)placing the marked ballot in the secrecy envelope, free of any identifying marks;

(c)placing the secrecy envelope containing one ballot for each election being held in the signature envelope;

(d)executing the affirmation printed on the signature envelope; and

(e)returning the signature envelope with all appropriate enclosures by regular mail, postage paid, or by delivering it to:

(i)the election office;

(ii)a polling place within the elector’s county;

(iii)pursuant to 13-13-229, the absentee election board or an authorized election official; or

(iv)in a mail ballot election held pursuant to Title 13, chapter 19, a designated place of deposit within the elector’s county.

(3)Except as provided in 13-21-206 and 13-21-226, in order for the ballot to be counted, each elector shall return it in a manner that ensures the ballot is received prior to 8 p.m. on election day.

(4)A provisionally registered elector may also enclose in the outer signature envelope a copy of the elector’s photo identification showing the elector’s name. The photo identification may be but is not limited to a valid driver’s license, a school district or postsecondary education photo identification, or a tribal photo identification. If the provisionally registered elector does not enclose a photo identification, the elector may enclose a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, notice of confirmation of voter registration issued pursuant to 13-2-207, government check, or other government document that shows the elector’s name and current address.

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