Elections and Voting

ELECTIONS



Links to Montana Campaign Regulations

VOTING

NEW BALLOT DROP OFF PROCEDURE EFFECTIVE WITH THE MAY 2019 SCHOOL ELECTION!

Montana State law has new requirements for anyone returning a mail/absentee ballot that belongs to another individual.

Under 13-35-701, MCA a ballot may only be returned by one of the following persons:

  • Acquaintance - an individual known by the voter;
  • Caregiver - an individual who provides medical or health care assistance to the voter in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility, or adult foster care home;
  •  Family Member - an individual who is related to the voter by blood, marriage, adoption, or legal guardianship;
  •  Household Member - an individual who resides at the same residence as the voter.

A person returning another person's ballot MUST sign a register located at the ballot collection location, certifying that they meet one of the above requirements.  A person may only return up to six ballots per election.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in a fine of $500 per ballot.  

Anyone with questions, can contact the Clerk & Recorder’s Office by email (clerkrec@bsb.mt.gov), phone (406)-497-6344, or stop by the office (Room 208, Courthouse).

................................................................................................................................

Call, email, or stop by our office to see if you are registered to vote or if you are still on the Absentee ballot list.  You can also check by using the MVP, My Voter Page link in the right hand column.

Click on this link and fill out the Absentee List Application, return it to the Clerk & Recorder’s Office and we will add you. You may apply to vote absentee through November 5 at noon. After that time, you must vote at the polls on November 6, 7:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. (Butte and Ramsay precincts; Rocker, Divide, and Melrose precinct polls are open from noon to 8:00 p.m.).

You can use the Change Absentee Ballot Status form to receive an absentee ballot for a specific election, add or remove your name from the annual absentee ballot list, designate someone to pickup your ballot, or request a ballot due to a health emergency.

We begin mailing out absentee ballots for the November Primary on October 12. You can track when we mail your ballot and when we receive and process your ballot with the MVP application which you can download to your phone or computer. This application is available in the right hand column of this page or by going to sos.mt.gov.

2019 Voting Schedule:

December 13, 2018  – Filing Begins for Special Elections (Volunteer Fire Districts, Water/Sewer Districts, School Districts)

February 11 – Filing and Withdrawal from Candidacy ends

March 4 - Write-In Candates deadline

April 8 - Regular Voter Registration closes

April 9 - Late Registration begins

May 7 - Election Day

My Voter Page (MVP) – There’s an app for that! (Android or Apple)  If you would like to know your precinct, your voting status (active or inactive), the status of your absentee ballot, the last time you voted, download this app.  Search “my Voter page Montana”.  It is also available on for your computer. 

Montana Voter Forms 

Register to Vote

Absentee Ballot Application

Federal Post Card Application for absent military and overseas citizens

Sample Ballot Form (June 2018 Primary)
(Ballots will vary based on districts, call or stop by the Clerk and Recorders office for more details)

Where to Vote

  • For primary (June) and general (November) elections, voters living in Rocker, Ramsay, Divide, or Melrose will vote in their respective city.
  • In Butte, voting takes place at the Civic Center.
  • Voters living outside of the city limits who are unsure what precinct they are in should check with the Clerk & Recorder's Office to see where they should vote.
  • For information on obtaining an absentee ballot or precinct information, please call 406-497-6342.

Precincts

  • Precincts 1 through 22 vote at the Butte Civic Center
  • Precincts 19W, 26E and 26W vote in Rocker
  • Precincts 27N and 27S vote in Ramsay
  • Precinct 28 votes in Divide
  • Precinct 29 votes in Melrose

Voting Hours

  • Civic Center and Ramsay polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
  • Rocker, Divide, and Melrose polls open at noon and close at 8 p.m.

2019 INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Each candidate for office must affirm when filing that they meet (or will meet within constitutional and statutory deadlines) the qualifications prescribed by the Constitution and laws of the United States, the State of Montana, and if filing for a local seat, the Charter of Butte-Silver Bow.

Candidates should refer to the Commissioner of Political Practice for candidate financial reporting information and forms to ensure their name appears on the ballot.

CANDIDATE FILING STARTING DATES

  • School Filing (Election Date 5/7/2019) - Filing begins 12/13/2018
  • Special District Filing (Election Date 5/7/2019) - Filing begins 12/13/18

CANDIDATE FILING CLOSING DATES

  • School Filing (Election Date 5/7/2019) - Closing date 3/28/2019; 5:00 pm
  • Special District Filing (Election date 5/7/2019) - Closing date 2/11/2019; 5:00 pm

Helpful Resources

  1. Map: Butte-Silver Bow County Commissioner Districts
  2. Map: Butte-Silver Bow Urban Commissioner Districts
  3. Map: Butte-Silver Bow Urban Voter Precincts
  4. Map: Butte-Silver Bow County Voter Precincts
  5. Map: Butte-Silver Bow Voter Precincts and Commissioner Districts
  6. Address Ranges for Voting Precincts and Commissioner Districts as of March 10, 2017