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Can I vote by mail in Montana?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 5Passed
(mail or in person; no online registration) Late registration in person at your county election office Oct. 6 to Oct. 30, Nov. 2 until noon, and on Election Day.
- NextAsk for your mail ballot. Your request must arrive byTue, Oct 272 days
- Mail it byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be received by Tue, Nov 3. After this date, use a drop box or return it in person.
- Returning it:
Received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Dropping it off? Drop-off is run by your county or town rather than the state, so locations vary. county election office.
Who can return it for you: Anyone you choose may return it. The law lists mail or delivery to the election office, a polling place in the county, or the absentee election board, without restricting who carries it. (A 2018 limit of six ballots per collector was struck down in court in 2020.) sosmt.gov says nothing about who may return a ballot. source
- Mail request must be receivedMon, Nov 2, noon8 days
Ask now: a request on the last day leaves no time to mail the ballot back.
Missed the request deadline?
- Voters kept from the polls by an illness or health emergency between 5 p.m. Oct. 30 and the close of polls. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 8 p.m. (voted ballot received). Ask (by phone, fax or otherwise) for the absentee election board or an election official to bring a ballot and application to your hospital, home or place of confinement in the county. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Tue, Nov 3 · 9 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Verify or provide your signature, or ask for a replacement ballot, by mail, fax, email or in person before 8 p.m. on Election Day. After that the ballot is handled as provisional, which counties resolve by 5 p.m. the next day. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3 · 9 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Montana?
Will your ballot count in Montana?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Montana, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Tue, Nov 3. Locations and hours
You must show an accepted photo ID. Without one you can cast a provisional ballot, but it only counts if you bring ID back to the election office within a few days.
Accepted: Montana driver's license, MT state ID, military ID, tribal photo ID, U.S. passport, MT concealed carry permit, Montana University System/NAIA student photo ID; OR any current photo ID showing your name PLUS a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document showing name and current address. Without one: Provisional ballot (13-13-114(2), 13-13-601); per the SOS provisional-ballot guidance the voter has until 5 p.m. the day after the election to provide valid ID (in person/fax/electronic, or by mail postmarked the day after and received by 3 p.m. on the 6th day). A 'Polling Place Elector ID Form' (DL number/last 4 SSN) may let a voter be verified at the polls.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Montana has an absentee ballot list for any voter. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. Check the box on the application or registration form. You must answer the periodic address-confirmation mailing to stay on.
Montana can start processing mail ballots 3 days before Election Day, so most results come in on election night. Results are certified Mon, Nov 23.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.