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HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen announced that counties across Montana have completed their post-election audits and county canvasses for the June 2 Primary Election, marking another key step in the state’s post-election procedure to verify and certify official election results.
Montana’s Post-Election Audit Act requires counties to hand count paper ballots in races and precincts randomly selected by the Montana State Board of Canvassers. This quality-control step follows the State Board’s meeting at the State Capitol, where representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, Office of Public Instruction, and State Auditor’s Office gathered to roll 10-sided dice and determine the audit selections for the 2026 Primary Election.
“Montanans can be confident that their votes were counted accurately and that our election results are the product of a careful, transparent process,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “From testing equipment before Election Day, to conducting the post-election audit, to completing the county canvass, our Montana Election Team works diligently to ensure safe, secure, accessible, and transparent elections for every voter.”
During the post-election audit, ballots are manually hand counted for the selected races and precincts and compared to the previously tabulated results. The county canvass is the final local step in the process before state certification, in which county election officials compile and present information such as the number of absentee ballots mailed and returned, the number of voters who participated, and the final audited vote totals for each race. County canvassing boards review that information, reconcile figures, and formally certify the county’s official results. Once all county canvasses are complete, those certified results are transmitted to the State Board of Canvassers ahead of the scheduled State Canvass on June 29.
“I’m incredibly proud of the Montana Election Team and all volunteers and election workers for their professionalism and dedication to serving Montana voters,” Secretary Jacobsen said. “These post-election procedures are not just boxes to check off, they are critical safeguards that protect the integrity of Montana’s elections and help ensure that every eligible ballot is counted accurately.”
