The bill revises vote count procedures by mandating that an election administrator conduct an investigation when the counting board is unable to reconcile the total number of ballots with the record of ballots accepted. This replaces the previous requirement to reconcile with the pollbook. The election administrator is also required to report the findings of the investigation to the board of county canvassers.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 13-15-201 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to include specific procedures for addressing discrepancies in ballot counts. If the counting board cannot reconcile the total number of ballots, they must submit a written report detailing the discrepancy, and if the explanation is unsatisfactory, the election administrator will investigate further. The bill emphasizes the importance of accurate ballot counting and accountability in the election process, ensuring that any discrepancies are thoroughly examined and reported. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-15-201
SB0058_1(1): 13-15-201
SB0058_1(2): 13-15-201
SB0058_1(3): 13-15-201
SB0058_1(4): 13-15-201
SB0058_1(5): 13-15-201
SB0058_1(6): 13-15-201
SB0058_1(7): 13-15-201
SB0058_1: 13-15-201
SB0058_2(1): 13-15-201
SB0058_2(2): 13-15-201
SB0058_2(3): 13-15-201
SB0058_2(4): 13-15-201
SB0058_2(5): 13-15-201
SB0058_2(6): 13-15-201
SB0058_2(7): 13-15-201
SB0058_2(8): 13-15-201
SB0058_2: 13-15-201
SB0058_3: 13-15-201
SB0058_X(1): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(10): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(11): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(12): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(2): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(3): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(4): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(5): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(6): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(7): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(8): 13-15-201
SB0058_X(9): 13-15-201
SB0058_X: 13-15-201