GREAT FALLS — Absentee ballots for Cascade County’s June 2 primary election are set to begin arriving in mailboxes Friday, but election officials say several new laws and deadline changes could catch voters off guard this year if they are not prepared.
Cascade County Election Administrator Terry Thompson said voters should expect ballots to arrive by early next week and reminded residents that each voter will receive multiple party ballots in the mail.
Brianna Juneau reports - watch the video here:
“They should be arriving in their mailboxes tomorrow or definitely early next week,” Thompson said. “So they’re going to get three ballots in there. One is the Democrat, Libertarian and Republican ballot. And the instructions are you only vote one ballot and send one ballot back. Discard the other two. Don’t send them back.”
One of the biggest changes this election season comes from House Bill 719, passed during the 2025 Montana legislative session. The new law now requires voters to include their birth year when signing their absentee ballot envelope.
Election officials say ballots missing a birth year — or containing a mismatched birth year — could be rejected and not counted unless voters resolve the issue in person.
Cascade County is also now in late registration, which changes how voters can register or update their information before Election Day.
“We’re currently in late registration,” Thompson said. “And so that means that voters have to come in person and show us a photo ID, and then they can get their ballot.”
Under the new rules, late registration will now end the Saturday before Election Day. That means there will be no voter registration available Monday, June 1 — the day before the election.
Election Day registration hours have also changed. Instead of remaining open until 8 p.m., registration will now close at noon on June 2.
Thompson said voters who need assistance can still receive help from election staff.
“We have to have the actual person show up to get their ballot,” Thompson said. “We do have curbside assistance as well. So if someone can’t walk in to the election office, we’ll happily send out two staff people to take care of people on the curb.”
Officials are also reminding voters to double-check their mailing addresses if they do not receive a ballot in the coming days.
“If by the end of next week you don’t have a ballot and you moved since the last election, you need to do a change of address with us and we can issue a new ballot,” Thompson said.
Before Election Day, voters can return ballots at two drop box locations at the Courthouse Annex. On Election Day, additional drop boxes will be available at the Courthouse Annex, Exhibition Hall and the Fairgrounds.
Election officials recommend mailing ballots no later than May 28 to ensure they arrive by Election Day. A ballot postmarked June 2 but arriving after Election Day will not be counted.
To check voter registration, ballot status, or see sample ballots, click here to visit the VoteMT site.
The election office will move to the Exhibition Hall on Election Day.
Contact the election office with any questions – 406-454-6803
Email: elections@cascadecountymt.gov
