Montana

Find nonpartisan voter education and local coverage for Montana. A summary of Montana voting rules is below, and each county on the map has its own page.

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Voting in Montana

Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of Montana voting rules, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with Montana’s official election website or your local election office before each election.

Registering to vote

• Online: Montana does not offer online registration.
• By mail: must be postmarked 30 days before Election Day.
• In person: available through Election Day (same-day registration).
• Register or check your registration (Montana on Vote.gov)

Primary elections

Montana has open primaries: there is no party registration, and on primary day you choose one party’s ballot. You can vote in only one party’s primary.

Voter ID

Montana asks voters to show a photo ID. If you don’t have one, there are other ways to cast a ballot that counts, such as being identified by a poll worker or signing an affidavit, depending on state rules.

Early voting

Starts: Thirty days before election (in-person absentee). Ends: Day before election. Locations and hours are set locally.

Voting by mail

Any Montana voter can request an absentee/mail ballot. No excuse is needed.

Your local election office

Find contact information for your local election office on Montana’s official election website.

Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).