Allowing online voter registration
SB 8 would create an online voter registration system on the secretary of state’s website and make that system available for eligible Montana voters to submit registration applications electronically. The bill requires applicants to affirm the truth of their information, consent to use the signature from a Montana driver’s license or state ID for registration purposes, and provide identifying information such as a driver’s license or state ID number and issuance date. Applicants using the online system would not need to complete a paper form.
The bill also directs the secretary of state to verify online applications by comparing the submitted information with motor vehicle records. If the information does not match, the application must be rejected and the applicant notified in writing. If verified, the secretary of state must add the applicant to the statewide voter registration system and forward the information to the county election administrator, who may still challenge the signature before the applicant is added to the county voter list. The bill further requires the system to stop accepting applications beginning at 11:59 p.m. on the 30th day before an election and resume after the election, and it gives the secretary of state rulemaking authority to implement the program.
SB 8 amends Montana’s voter registration statute, section 13-2-110, to fit the new online process into the existing registration framework. It preserves current in-person and mail registration options while adding online registration as an additional method. The bill also clarifies how applicants without a driver’s license, state ID, or Social Security number may provide alternative identification, and it maintains the distinction between legally registered and provisionally registered electors. The act would take effect January 1, 2026.
The bill’s overall sentiment appears mixed but somewhat favorable in committee, with initial support for a do-pass recommendation as amended, but also evidence of significant resistance. The committee votes show the measure advanced out of one vote but then failed on a motion to table and later failed on the floor, where a 24-26 vote indicates it did not secure majority support. That pattern suggests the proposal was seriously considered but ultimately could not overcome concerns about implementation or policy.
The main point of contention appears to be the shift to online voter registration and the associated verification process. Supporters likely viewed the bill as a modernization and convenience measure, while opponents may have raised concerns about election security, identity verification, signature matching, or administrative burden on election officials and counties. The requirement to use motor vehicle records, the ability of county administrators to challenge signatures, and the cutoff period before elections are all likely areas where debate centered on balancing access with safeguards.
SB 8 would add a new online voter registration pathway to Montana election law and amend existing registration procedures in Title 13, chapter 2, part 2. It would require the secretary of state to build and maintain the online system, establish verification and rejection procedures, and coordinate electronic transfer of approved applications to county election administrators. The bill also updates the statutory registration framework to accommodate online applications while preserving existing mail, in-person, and certain special registration methods, and it authorizes rulemaking to implement the new process.
The bill appears to have had some support among committee members, as reflected in a 6-3 do-pass-as-amended vote, but it also faced enough opposition to fail later in the process. The final floor vote of 24-26 indicates the measure was controversial and did not command majority support. Overall, the discussion and voting history suggest a divided response, with modernization and access benefits weighed against concerns about verification and election administration.
The central controversy was whether Montana should allow online voter registration and, if so, how to verify applicants securely. Supporters likely emphasized convenience, modernization, and easier access to registration, while opponents likely focused on the reliability of motor vehicle record matching, signature verification, and the risk of errors or fraud. County election administrators’ role in challenging signatures and the cutoff period before elections were also likely sensitive issues, because they affect workload, timing, and the integrity of the voter rolls.