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HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen says legislation that will enhance voter registration opportunities for eligible Montana voters is headed to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.
Once signed, Senate Bill 490, sponsored by Senator Mike Cuffe (R-Eureka), will increase Montanans’ opportunities to register to vote during federal elections. The bill allows Montanans to register to vote on the Saturday before a federal election, in addition to the morning hours on election day. SB 490 will also eliminate administrative barriers that cause unnecessary delays that impact voters, election officials, and the unveiling of results on election night.
The bill received bipartisan support in the Montana Legislature.
“Senate Bill 490 is an important piece of legislation that will expand voter registration opportunities for small business owners, rural Montanans, students, and tribal voters,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “It will also reduce long lines and improve administrative efficiencies, making it a win-win for Montana elections.”
“The current system is broken, and we worked closely with our county partners on the Montana Elections Team to fix it by modernizing our Montana elections,” she added.
Before being approved by Republican and Democratic legislators, SB 490 was supported by county election officials.
“Being able to process registrations on Saturday would help alleviate long lines and help the votes to be counted faster, which I know is extremely important to voters in the state of Montana,” explained an election administrator to legislators during a committee bill hearing.
The complete election results for Montana’s November 2024 General Election were not fully reported until several days after election day.
“The Montana Elections Team is honored to serve the voters of Montana by providing an election experience they can be proud of,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “By adding hours for voters to register and improving efficiencies for election officials, we can continue to enhance Montana’s elections and be a nationwide leader.”