Senate Bill No. [number] seeks to enhance election procedures in Montana, particularly for voters on Indian reservations. The bill requires each federally recognized Indian tribe to collaborate with county officials to establish at least one permanent satellite election office within their reservation boundaries. This office must offer services comparable to those at the main county election office, such as access to replacement ballots, in-person absentee voting, and late voter registration. Additionally, the bill mandates that precinct polling place notices include locations within Indian reservations and permits the use of nontraditional addresses for voter registration and voting.

The legislation also amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to improve voter registration processes, including clarifying that a tribal photo identification card does not need a residential address or expiration date to be valid. It allows electors to use nontraditional addresses as long as they provide sufficient detail for precinct assignment. Furthermore, the bill establishes new requirements for handling provisional ballots, ensuring they are counted if the voter's identity or eligibility can be verified, and mandates that voters receive explanations regarding the status of their provisional ballots. The bill also requires at least one ballot deposit location for each town on an Indian reservation that is more than 13 miles from a satellite election office, with tribal governments responsible for selecting these sites. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, aiming to improve accessibility and transparency in the voting process for Native American voters.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307
SB0220_1(1): 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307
SB0220_1(2): 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307
SB0220_1(3): 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307
SB0220_1(4): 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307
SB0220_1(5): 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307
SB0220_1(6): 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307
SB0220_1: 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307