Montana’s primary election takes place on Tuesday, June 2, 2024, with polls closing at 8 p.m. and absentee ballots required to be received by election officials by the end of the day.
As of Monday, June 1, voters had returned 188,595 ballots in the election, according to the Montana Secretary of State’s website. The state had just over 665,000 registered voters as of the same date. Turnout in the 2022 primary was roughly 39% of registered voters, and 2024 turnout is projected to be about 41%.
Montana is an open primary state, offering separate ballots for the Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican parties, though voters may submit only one. The primary includes contests for a U.S. Senate seat, both U.S. House districts, two seats on the Public Service Commission, and more than 100 legislative seats. Some voters will also select county commissioners, sheriffs, and other local officials.
Voters can verify their registration status, polling location, legislative districts, and ballot status through the Secretary of State’s “My Voter” portal by entering their name and birthdate. Absentee voters can also use the portal to check whether their ballot has been received and whether it has been flagged for any issues.
Absentee ballots must be signed and include the voter’s birth date in the designated area on the envelope. Common errors, such as missing signatures or omitted birth years, can be corrected either online or in person at the voter’s county election office. If a voter accidentally includes more than one primary ballot in a single envelope, election officials will flag the submission and contact the voter to resolve the issue. Rejected ballots can be cured by completing a form online and returning it to the county election office.
Voters who have completed but not yet mailed their absentee ballot are advised to deliver it in person to their county elections office, a polling location on election day, or another designated drop-off site. Absentee ballots must be received—not merely postmarked—by the end of election day to be counted.
Montana law permits voters to register and cast a ballot as long as they are in line at their polling place by 8 p.m. on election day. A recent state law that would have limited same-day registration to noon was blocked by a Lewis and Clark District Court judge and will not be enforced. Voters must present “current, valid and readable” identification at the polls. Acceptable forms include tribal photo ID cards, military IDs, U.S. passports, drivers’ licenses, Montana State ID cards, concealed carry permits, and student ID cards. Voters without photo ID may instead show a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government document displaying their residence. Additional voting information is available at votemt.gov.