Bill
LC 313
Legislative Summary: LC 313 - Generally Revise Election Laws OverviewLC 313 was a draft bill introduced in September 2024 that aimed to make various changes to Montana's election l
LC 313 was a draft bill introduced in September 2024 that aimed to make various changes to Montana's election laws. The bill did not progress beyond the initial drafting stage and ultimately died in the legislative process.
The draft bill proposed the following significant changes:
Voter ID Requirements: The bill would have required all voters to present a valid government-issued photo ID when voting, either in person or by mail. Acceptable forms of ID would have included driver's licenses, state-issued ID cards, military IDs, and tribal IDs.
Mail Ballot Deadlines: The bill sought to move up the deadline for returning mail ballots from Election Day to 8 PM on the Friday before Election Day.
Ballot Collection Restrictions: The bill would have prohibited anyone other than the voter, an immediate family member, or a caregiver from returning a mail ballot on the voter's behalf.
Voter Roll Maintenance: The draft legislation would have mandated more frequent updates to voter registration rolls, requiring the state to cross-reference voter data against other state and federal databases to identify and remove ineligible voters.
If enacted, LC 313 would have imposed new voting requirements and restrictions that proponents argued would enhance election integrity but critics claimed would disproportionately disenfranchise certain groups of voters, particularly the elderly, disabled, and minority communities. The changes to mail ballot deadlines and collection methods in particular were expected to reduce voter turnout.
The proposed updates to voter roll maintenance procedures were intended to ensure the accuracy of Montana's voter lists, but opponents were concerned the process could inadvertently remove eligible voters from the rolls.
As a draft bill, LC 313 did not receive a formal bill number or progress through the full legislative process. It appears to have died without receiving a committee hearing or vote in the Montana Legislature.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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