Voting in Montana
General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
At a glance
You can register and vote on the same day, including Election Day.
Show photo ID, or a non-photo ID plus a document with name and address; otherwise vote a provisional ballot verified by signature or ID. No ID? Ask your election office whether it offers a free one for voting. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show ID under federal law.
Return deadline: received by 8 p.m. Nov 3 (close of polls).
In-person absentee Oct 5 (30 days before) - Nov 2
Only people in prison for a felony lose the vote; restored on release.
Deadlines
| Step | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Register by mail | Monday, October 5 | |
| Register in person | Tuesday, November 3 | Same-day registration |
| Election Day | Tuesday, November 3 | Polls close times vary; check your state. |
Mail ballot request: noon Nov 2 (day before). Mail ballot return: received by 8 p.m. Nov 3 (close of polls).
Where the road gets harder
Every rule is a cost, and it doesn't fall on everyone the same. A deadline, a document or a trip to an office is easy for some people and a real obstacle for others: people who work hourly jobs, move often, live far from an office, don't drive, or have a disability. Here is what that looks like in Montana.
- Registration isn't automatic. Each person has to sign up on their own, which leaves out people who don't know the rules or move often.
- There's no online registration. Signing up means a paper form by mail or a trip to an office.
- Mail ballots have to arrive by Election Day; a postmark isn't enough. A ballot mailed in the last days can arrive too late and won't count, so return it in person if it's close.
- Voters on the Fort Peck Reservation in 2024 asked a court for on-reservation voting sites because reaching the Valley County election office in Glasgow from Frazer is a 60-mile round trip.Source: Associated Press via ABC News
News from Montana
Recent election, voting and policy headlines that mention Montana, newest first. They are found automatically and not checked: a headline shows what someone published, not that it is true.
News appears here once the news feed is connected.
Official links
Montana Secretary of State. These go straight to the government, not to us.
Sources
Checked October 12, 2026. Laws and court rulings change, sometimes close to an election. If anything here disagrees with your state or county election office, they are right and we are wrong; please tell us.
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-registration-deadlines
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/online-voter-registration
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/automatic-voter-registration
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/same-day-voter-registration
- https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2026-05-12/court-order-keeps-voter-registration-open-on-election-day
- https://www.usvotefoundation.org/montana-election-dates-and-deadlines
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-11-receipt-and-postmark-deadlines-for-absentee-mail-ballots
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/early-in-person-voting
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-1-states-with-no-excuse-absentee-voting
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-3-states-with-permanent-absentee-voting-lists
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights
- https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/native-americans-montana-court-person-voting-sites-114369167