HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen said nearly 285,000 absentee ballots have been received by election officials entering the final week until Election Day. County election administrators provided more than 500,000 absentee ballots to registered absentee voters for the 2024 General Election.
“More than half of Montana’s absentee ballots, 54 percent, have been voted and returned to county election offices across the state,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “Thousands of our Montana friends, family, and neighbors are ensuring their voices are heard in this historic election, and the Montana Elections Team reminds all absentee voters to make a plan to return their voted ballots to their county election officials.
“Now that we are within one week of Election Day, election officials encourage absentee voters to deliver their ballots in person to ensure that they are received, signatures verified, and prepared for counting. Ballots must be voted and delivered by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5.”
Secretary Jacobsen reminds absentee voters that they can track the status of their absentee ballot by visiting VoteMT.gov/voter-info. The status of an absentee voter’s status may include:
- SENT: Your county has mailed your absentee ballot packet.
- RECEIVED: Your county has received your voted absentee ballot.
- ACCEPTED: Your signature was verified and your ballot will be counted during tabulation.
Voters should contact their county if they did not receive their absentee ballot or if their ballot status is “UNDELIVERABLE” or “REJECTED.”
Earlier this year, Secretary Jacobsen unveiled the Absentee Ballot Counts webpage. The interactive and user-friendly report provides Montana voters with updated information about absentee ballot counts during the election. It can be viewed on the Secretary of State’s website (https://sosmt.gov/elections/absentee-ballot-count/).
Last week, Secretary Jacobsen voted her ballot and submitted it to the Lewis and Clark County Elections Office. Using the resources available at VoteMT.gov/voter-info, she verified her ballot was received and accepted by the county election office.
“Join the hundreds of thousands of Montanans in casting your votes for offices from the President to your local government positions,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “Thanks for voting, Montana!”
