Montana’s new requirement for voters to write their year of birth on mail-in ballot envelopes led to over 2,700 ballot rejections in the state’s six largest cities, with data compiled by the Montana Free Press revealing the impact. An additional 1,278 ballots encountered problems due to signature issues, a long-standing requirement for mail-in voting. Many voters have managed to resolve these problems, allowing their votes to be counted.
Sarah Bell, Missoula County’s deputy elections administrator, highlighted a significant increase in rejected ballots due to the birth year rule compared to previous elections. “In the primary election, the primary from September, we had around 120 for the entire election, 120 rejected ballots, compared to this one with 1,090, so that’s such a huge increase,” Bell stated. The county focused efforts on contacting voters to rectify these errors promptly.
Rejection rates varied significantly, with Missoula and Billings experiencing the highest rates. Missoula County employed dedicated staff to notify voters of envelope errors, utilizing calls, emails, and mail. Initial rejections in some areas, such as Billings, represented enough votes to potentially sway election outcomes, with a mayoral race decided by approximately 200 votes.
The birth year requirement stemmed from a bill sponsored by Rep. Braxton Mitchell, emphasizing improved mail voting integrity. “When you get a prescription, they ask for your birthday. When you create an account online for websites, they ask for your birthday…,” Mitchell remarked. The bill, supported by Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, faced opposition from groups representing seniors and people with disabilities, who argued it might disenfranchise some voters.
In response, organizations like Big Sky 55+ and Disability Rights Montana filed a lawsuit, asserting the requirement’s potential to disenfranchise vulnerable populations. Attorney Raph Graybill cited the rise in rejected ballots as evidence of these concerns. Voters had until November 5 to address any issues, with ballots postmarked by then accepted until Monday. The status of ballots can be checked at voterportal.mt.gov.
Missoula County and other jurisdictions made concerted efforts to inform voters of necessary corrections, achieving a 55% correction rate for rejected ballots. Yellowstone County reported similar results, while Helena corrected 44 out of 99 rejected ballots, a 44% rate. This election involved city government races, tax measures, and school bonds, drawing fewer voters compared to the higher stakes of next year’s elections.
Voter turnout across the major cities varied, with Helena seeing 54% participation, driven by a closely contested mayoral race, and Bozeman experiencing a lower 33% turnout. These results reflect the impact of the new mail voting rule and highlight the importance of voter education and outreach in ensuring democratic participation.
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