The proposed bill seeks to enhance voting laws in Montana by introducing new requirements for voters regarding their date of birth. It mandates that individuals registering to vote must include their date of birth on the voter registration application, and absentee voters must also provide their date of birth on the signature envelope when returning their ballots. The election administrator is responsible for verifying the date of birth before counting absentee ballots, ensuring that all registered voters can be accurately identified. The bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to incorporate these changes, emphasizing the importance of date of birth in the voter registration and absentee voting processes.

Key amendments include the requirement for election officials to log all ballots and ensure they are received by 8 p.m. on election day. The bill specifies that the date of birth must be included on the absentee ballot signature envelope alongside the voter's signature for identity verification. It also outlines procedures for transcribing ballots that require it, ensuring multiple election officials are involved to maintain security and secrecy. Additionally, the bill updates references to specific sections of the MCA, replacing outdated citations with current ones, and tasks the secretary of state with adopting rules to implement these changes, thereby reinforcing the integrity and transparency of the election process.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-2-110, 13-13-201, 13-13-213, 13-13-232, 13-13-241, 13-13-245, 13-13-246, 13-15-201, 13-17-212, 13-19-106, 13-19-301, 13-19-304, 13-19-312