Montana § 13-13-201 - Voting By Absentee Ballot -- Procedures

§ 13-13-201. Voting By Absentee Ballot -- Procedures

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. (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; (e) providing the elector's date of birth on the signature envelope; and (f) 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.