Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots in Montana, 2020

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In August 2020, The New York Times estimated that 80 million Americans would vote by absentee/mail-in ballot in November 2020. That would have been more than double the number who did so in November 2016. The processes states use to count absentee/mail-in ballots have come under closer inspection by state officials, candidates, political parties, and the media.

This article describes the rules in Montana for processing, counting, and rejecting absentee/mail-in ballots in effect for the November 2020 election. It includes:

• How ballots are processed and counted
• Whether ballots can be challenged
• Conditions for rejecting a ballot
• Whether voters can correct mistakes on a ballot

The 2020 election took place against a backdrop of uncertainty. Our readers had questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from the casting of ballots to the certification of final results. Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk was designed to answer those questions.

Processing and counting ballots

See also: When states can begin processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots, 2020

Upon receiving completed absentee/mail-in ballots, election officials must first process the ballots before they can be counted. Processing generally entails verifying voter signatures and physically preparing ballots for tabulation. Processing practices can vary widely from state to state. Counting entails the actual tabulation of votes.

The table below highlights key dates and deadlines related to absentee/mail-in voting in Montana for the November 2020 election.

Absentee voting in Minnesota: Nov. 3, 2020, election.

Were there limits on who can request a ballot?

No

What was the deadline for requesting a ballot by mail?

Nov. 2, 2020

Was the request deadline a postmark or receipt deadline?

Received

What was the deadline for returning a voted ballot by mail?

Nov. 3, 2020

Was the return deadline a postmark or receipt deadline?

Postmarked

Were there notary or witness requirements?

No requirement

Processing ballots

As of October 2020, ballots could be processed upon receipt. As of November 2020, Montana law included the following provision for processing absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

(1) (a) Upon receipt of each absentee ballot signature envelope, an election administrator shall compare the signature of the elector or elector's agent on the absentee ballot request or on the elector's voter registration form with the signature on the signature envelope

”

See law: Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-13-241

Counting ballots

Officials in Montana began counting absentee/mail-in ballots on November 2, 2020 if they used a vote counting machine, and November 3 if they used a manual count. As of November 2020, Montana law included the following provision for counting absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

(7) (a) Except as provided in subsection (8), after receiving an absentee ballot secrecy envelope and if the validity of the ballot is confirmed pursuant to 13-13-245, then no sooner than 3 business days before election day, the election official may open the secrecy envelope and place the ballot in the proper, secured ballot box until tabulation occurs. Automatic tabulation using a vote-counting machine may not begin sooner than 1 day before election day. Tabulation using a manual count may not begin until election day. (b) An election official may not conduct the process described in subsection (7)(a) on a Saturday or a Sunday.

”

See law: Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-13-241

Montana law included the following provision for who may count absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

At least 30 days before the primary election in even-numbered years, the county governing body shall appoint three or more election judges for each precinct, one of whom must be designated chief judge.

”

See law: Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-4-101

Montana law included the following provision for poll watchers:

“

(1) The election judges shall permit one poll watcher from each political party to be stationed close to the poll lists in a location that does not interfere with the election procedures. At the time when each elector signs the elector's name, one of the election judges shall pronounce the name loud enough to be heard by the poll watchers. A poll watcher who does not understand the pronunciation has the right to request that the judge repeat the name. Poll watchers must also be permitted to observe all of the vote counting procedures of the judges after the closing of the polls and all entries of the results of the elections. (2) A candidate may not serve as a poll watcher at a polling place where electors are voting on ballots with the candidate's name on them.

”

See law: Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-13-120

Challenging ballots

Absentee/mail-in ballots may be challenged in an attempt to prevent the ballot from being counted. Ballots may be challenged for a variety of reasons, including: allegations that the voter is not qualified to vote in the election, the ballot was not received by the stated deadline, or that the voter had already voted in the same election. The methods and reasons for challenging ballots vary and are provided in state law. States without such provisions do not allow challenging absentee/mail-in ballots.

As of November 2020, Montana law included the following provision for challenging ballots:

“

(1) An elector's right to vote may be challenged at any time by any registered elector by the challenger filling out and signing an affidavit stating the grounds of the challenge and providing any evidence supporting the challenge to the election administrator or, on election day, to an election judge. (2) A challenge may be made on the grounds that the elector: (a) is of unsound mind, as determined by a court; (b) has voted before in that election; (c) has been convicted of a felony and is serving a sentence in a penal institution; (d) is not registered as required by law; (e) is not 18 years of age or older; (f) has not been, for at least 30 days, a resident of the county in which the elector is offering to vote, except as provided in 13-2-514; (g) is a provisionally registered elector whose status has not been changed to a legally registered voter; or (h) does not meet another requirement provided in the constitution or by law.

”

See law:Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-13-301

As of November 2020, Montana law included the following provision for handling challenged ballots:

“

(3) When a challenge has been made under this section, unless the election administrator determines without the need for further information that the challenge is insufficient: (a) prior to the close of registration under 13-2-301, the election administrator shall question the challenger and the challenged elector and may question other persons to determine whether the challenge is sufficient or insufficient to cancel the elector's registration under 13-2-402; or (b) after the close of registration or on election day, the election administrator or, on election day, the election judge shall allow the challenged elector to cast a provisional paper ballot, which must be handled as provided in 13-15-107. (4) (a) In response to a challenge, the challenged elector may fill out and sign an affidavit to refute the challenge and swear that the elector is eligible to vote. (b) If the challenge was not made in the presence of the elector being challenged, the election administrator or election judge shall notify the challenged elector of who made the challenge and the grounds of the challenge and explain what information the elector may provide to respond to the challenge. The notification must be made: (i) within 5 days of the filing of the challenge if the election is more than 5 days away; or (ii) on or before election day if the election is less than 5 days away. (c) The election administrator or, on election day, the election judge shall also provide to the challenged elector a copy of the challenger's affidavit and any supporting evidence provided. (5) The secretary of state shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section and shall provide standardized affidavit forms for challengers and challenged electors.

”

See law: Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-13-301

Rejecting ballots

As of November 2020, Montana law included the following provision for rejecting absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

(b) If the elector is legally registered and the signature on the signature envelope matches the signature on the absentee ballot application or on the elector's voter registration form, the election administrator or an election judge shall handle the ballot as a regular ballot. (c) (i) If the elector is provisionally registered and the signature on the signature envelope matches the signature on the absentee ballot application or on the elector's voter registration form, the election administrator or an election judge shall open the outer signature envelope and determine whether the elector's voter identification and eligibility information, if enclosed pursuant to 13-13-201, is sufficient pursuant to rules adopted under 13-2-109 to legally register the elector. (ii) If the voter identification and eligibility information is sufficient to legally register the elector, the ballot must be handled as a regular ballot. (iii) If voter identification or eligibility information was not enclosed or the information enclosed is insufficient to legally register the elector, the ballot must be handled as a provisional ballot under 13-15-107. (2) If a voted absentee ballot has not been placed in a secrecy envelope, the election administrator shall place the ballot in a secrecy envelope without examining the ballot. (3) In a primary election, if unvoted party ballots are returned by a voter, they must be separated and handled pursuant to 13-1-303 and 13-12-202. (4) If an elector's ballot is to be handled as a provisional ballot, the election administrator shall notify the absentee elector as provided in 13-13-245. (5) If the signature on the absentee ballot signature envelope does not match the signature on the absentee ballot request form or on the elector's voter registration form or if there is no signature on the absentee ballot signature envelope, the election administrator shall notify the elector as provided in 13-13-245. (6) If at any point there is a question concerning the validity of a particular ballot, the question must be resolved as provided in 13-13-245. """

”

See law:Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-13-241

Ballot curing

Ballot curing refers to the process by which voters can correct mistakes—such as a missing or mismatched signature—with an absentee/mail-in ballot so that the ballot can be counted. Ballot curing provisions lay out this process in state law. States without such provisions do not count absentee/mail-in ballots with errors.

As of November 2020, Montana law included the following provision for curing ballots:

“

(1) As soon as possible after receipt of an elector's absentee ballot application or signature envelope, the election administrator shall give notice to the elector by the most expedient method available if the election administrator determines that: (a) the elector's ballot is to be handled as a provisional ballot; (b) the validity of the ballot is in question; or (c) the election administrator has not received or is unable to verify the elector's or agent's signature under 13-13-213 or 13-13-241. (2) The election administrator shall inform the elector that, prior to 8 p.m. on election day, the elector may: (a) by mail, facsimile, electronic means, or in person, resolve the issue that resulted in the ballot being handled as a provisional ballot, confirm the validity of the ballot, or verify the elector's or agent's signature or provide a signature, after proof of identification, by affirming that the signature is in fact the elector's, by completing a new registration form containing the elector's current signature, or by providing a new agent designation form; or (b) if necessary, request and receive a replacement ballot pursuant to 13-13-204. (3) The ballot of an elector who fails to provide information pursuant to subsection (2) must be handled as a provisional ballot pursuant to 13-15-107. (4) (a) If a ballot is returned as undeliverable, the election administrator shall investigate the reason for the return. (b) An elector must be provided with: (i) the elector's undeliverable ballot upon notification by the elector of the elector's correct mailing address; or (ii) a replacement ballot if a request has been made pursuant to 13-13-204.

”

See law: Montana Code Annotated 2019 13-13-245

Rules in other states

Click on a state below to view information on processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots in that state.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

More frequently asked questions about the 2020 election

Click on a question below to read the answer:

• General election information
  • Who runs elections in the United States?
  • Why do states have different election rules?
  • What methods do states use to prevent election fraud?
  • Do you have to vote for everything on your ballot?
  • What happens if you mark outside the lines or use the wrong pen/pencil?
  • What is a spoiled ballot?
  • What is a write-in candidate?
  • How can I check the status of my ballot?
  • Can I take a ballot selfie?

• Presidential election
  • What happens if a presidential candidate declares victory in the 2020 election before results are final?
  • Can presidential candidates win the election if they have already conceded?
  • What are the steps and deadlines for electing the President of the United States?
  • What happens if there is a tie in the Electoral College?
  • What are faithless electors in the Electoral College?
  • What happens if a presidential nominee becomes incapacitated before the election?
  • Can members of Congress object to Electoral College results?

• Processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots
  • What is the life cycle of an absentee/mail-in ballot?
  • What happens if I vote by mail and want to change my ballot at a later date?
  • What happens if someone votes by mail and then tries to vote in person?
  • How do states protect and verify absentee/mail-in ballots?
  • How do election workers match signatures?
  • Are results reported on election night coming from in-person or absentee/mail-in votes?
  • Do states report how many mail-in/absentee ballots are outstanding on election night?
  • Do absentee/mail-in ballots take longer to count than in-person ballots?
  • What happens if someone votes by mail-in ballot or absentee ballot and subsequently passes away before Election Day?

• Disputing election results
  • How will election recounts work?
  • How close does an election have to be to trigger an automatic recount?
  • Can a candidate or voter request a recount?
  • Who pays for recounts and contested elections?
  • What are poll watchers?
  • What does it mean to challenge a voter's eligibility, and who can do it?
  • What is a redo election?
  • Who can file election-related lawsuits?
  • What are the reasons to call a redo election?
  • Who can call a redo election?
  • Can a redo be held for a presidential election?

• Election result reporting and certification
  • What happens if candidates declare victory in the 2020 election before results are final?
  • Can candidates win an election if they have already conceded?
  • How and when are election results finalized?
  • How do major media outlets declare winners?

• Transitions of power and taking office
  • Who is the president if election results are unknown by January 20, 2021?
  • Who serves in Congress if election results are unknown by January 2021?
  • Who serves in a state or local government if election results are unknown?
  • What happens if the winning presidential candidate becomes incapacitated before taking office?

• Articles about potential scenarios in the 2020 election
• U.S. Supreme Court actions affecting the November 3, 2020, general election

See also

• Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk
• Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk: Processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots
• Absentee/mail-in voting, 2020