Montana Absentee Ballot Returns Pass 92,000; Birth-Year Requirement on Envelopes Not Being Enforced for Now
Absentee ballots returned to Montana counties had reached 92,931 as of Tuesday morning, according to county reports, with the state's public tracking system showing 520,806 ballots sent out — a return rate of about 17.8%. The figure is up sharply from the 60,329 reported by the Daily Montanan on Monday, though both the numerator and denominator are rolling updates and should be read with the counting method and date in mind.
Voters should also note a change in the envelope rules: the Secretary of State's "Vote Montana" page still displays a prominent notice asking voters to write their birth year, but it also makes clear that the requirement is not currently being enforced. Missoula County likewise says that, following a court ruling, voters are no longer required to write a birth year, though it recommends still filling it in in case the law changes before November 3.
State guidance tells voters to place the completed ballot first in the secrecy envelope, then in the signed return envelope, and to sign and date the return envelope; if you make a mistake, request a replacement ballot from your county rather than trying to fix it yourself. The numbers reflect only ballots received; they say nothing about candidates' vote shares or final turnout.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Helena 的蒙大拿州议会大厦。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons / Photo: The Montana State Capitol in Helena. Source: Wikimedia Commons
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- 2026-10-21Montana Absentee Ballot Returns Pass 92,000; Birth-Year Requirement on Envelopes Not Being Enforced for NowThis story
