Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] seeks to enhance election procedures in Montana, particularly for Indian reservations, by requiring each federally recognized Indian tribe to establish at least one permanent satellite election office in consultation with county officials. This office must be operational at least seven days before regular voter registration begins and provide services comparable to the main county election office, including access to replacement ballots and in-person absentee voting. The bill also mandates that precinct polling place notices include locations within Indian reservations and allows for the use of nontraditional addresses for voter registration.

Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to improve voter registration and provisional ballot handling. It specifies that a tribal photo identification card does not need to include a residential address or expiration date to be valid and allows electors to use nontraditional addresses with sufficient detail for precinct assignment. Provisional ballots must be counted if the election administrator can verify the voter's identity or eligibility, and voters casting provisional ballots will receive explanations regarding their ballot status. 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 locations. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, aiming to improve accessibility and transparency in the voting process for Indigenous communities.

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: 13-2-110, 13-3-105, 13-13-114, 13-13-201, 13-15-107, 13-19-307