Senate Bill No. introduced by T. Manzella aims to revise election laws in Montana by implementing new requirements for voting systems. The bill mandates that election administrators conduct a test of a new voting system to verify its functionality whenever a new system is acquired or after significant changes, such as software updates or hardware custody changes. Additionally, it requires that audit logs or cast vote records be retained as public records, ensuring transparency and accountability in the election process.

The bill also amends existing laws regarding the retention of election materials. Specifically, it stipulates that counties using vote-counting machines capable of producing audit logs or cast vote records must retain these records in perpetuity as public records. This change emphasizes the importance of maintaining accurate and accessible election data for public scrutiny. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the integrity and reliability of the electoral process in Montana.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_1(1): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_1(2): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_1(3): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_1(4): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_1(5): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_1(6): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_1: 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(1): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(2): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(3): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(4): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(5): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(6): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(7): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2(8): 13-1-303, 13-15-206
SB0494_2: 13-1-303, 13-15-206