Montana voters will no longer have the option to write in undeclared candidates on ballots, following a law passed by the 2025 Montana Legislature. The change is evident in the 2026 primary ballots, which are now arriving in mailboxes. Historically, voters could use a write-in line to nominate anyone, including fictional characters such as Mickey Mouse. However, this feature is now absent from the new ballots.
Ballot instructions still indicate how to write in a name, though this is now impossible with the omission of write-in spaces. Yellowstone County elections administrator Dayna Causby explained that the law requires candidates to be registered to be counted. “The instructions are required,” Causby said, emphasizing the necessity of candidate qualifications.
Most write-in names have traditionally gone uncounted due to multiple disqualifying factors, including residency requirements. Characters like Mickey Mouse don’t meet these criteria, and even real Montana residents aren’t counted unless election officials are instructed to do so. Causby noted that ballot-counting machines had to be programmed to recognize registered write-ins.
The 2025 Legislature introduced a law mandating that write-in candidates declare their candidacy simultaneously with other ballot candidates. This requires write-in candidates to register in early March. Legislation also prohibits primary election losers from running as write-in candidates in the general election, often referred to as a “sore loser” law.
Jodee Etchart, R-Billings, sponsored House Bill 207 to amend write-in laws. According to Etchart, the bill didn’t specifically eliminate the write-in line or oval from the ballots mailed on May 8, a fact confirmed by election officials.
Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder Regina Plettenberg explained that the removal of the write-in line and oval was a decision made through rulemaking, post-HB 207. Without registered write-in candidates, no space is needed on the ballots. There are no registered write-ins for the current primary. However, these could appear in the general election if candidates register 90 days prior, in which case the write-in line and oval will be reinstated.
Eric Semerad, Gallatin County clerk and recorder, noted that races have been won with write-ins and that municipal races and party precinct committee positions have been filled this way. After the 2020 Senate race, election administrators successfully lobbied for changes to prevent the counting of non-registered write-ins, limiting confusion and ensuring accuracy.
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