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69th Legislature 2025 HB 179
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 179
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO INACTIVE VOTER STATUS; CLARIFYING THAT A VOTER ON
THE INACTIVE LIST IS NOT MOVED TO THE ACTIVE LIST BY SIGNING A PETITION FOR A STATEWIDE
BALLOT ISSUE; AMENDING SECTION 13-2-222, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE
DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 13-2-222, MCA, is amended to read:
"13-2-222. Reactivation of elector. (1) The name of an elector must be moved by an election
administrator from the inactive list to the active list of a county if an elector meets the requirements for
registration provided in this chapter and:
(a) appears at a polling place in order to vote, submits an application to vote by absentee ballot in
a polling place election or mail ballot election, or votes in a mail ballot election conducted under Title 13,
chapter 19;
(b) notifies the county election administrator in writing of the elector's current residence, which
must be in that county; or
(c) completes a reactivation form provided by the county election administrator that provides
current address information in that county.
(2) The name of an elector may not be moved from the inactive list to the active list of a county by
the elector signing a petition for a statewide ballot issue.
(2)(3) After an elector has complied with subsection (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(c), the county election
administrator shall place the elector's name on the active voting list for that county.
(3)(4) An elector reactivated pursuant to subsection (1)(a) is a legally registered elector for purposes
of the election in which the elector voted."
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69th Legislature 2025 HB 179
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 179
ENROLLED BILL
Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
HB 179, originated in the House.
___________________________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
HOUSE BILL NO. 179
INTRODUCED BY B. MITCHELL, K. BOGNER, D. EMRICH, J. FULLER, B. GILLESPIE, C. GLIMM, G.
LAMMERS, T. MCGILLVRAY, B. PHALEN, M. REGIER, J. TREBAS, M. YAKAWICH, D. ZOLNIKOV, E.
ALBUS, B. BARKER, L. BENNETT, M. BERTOGLIO, L. BREWSTER, E. BUTTREY, E. BYRNE, C.
COCHRAN, J. DARLING, L. DEMING, N. DURAM, S. ESSMANN, J. ETCHART, T. FALK, P. FIELDER, S.
FITZPATRICK, J. GILLETTE, S. GIST, R. GREGG, C. HINKLE, J. HINKLE, S. KELLY, G. KMETZ, B. LER, K.
LOVE, S. MANESS, R. MARSHALL, B. MERCER, T. MILLETT, R. MINER, V. MOORE, F. NAVE, A.
NICASTRO, N. NICOL, M. NIKOLAKAKOS, G. OBLANDER, G. OVERSTREET, G. PARRY, A. REGIER, L.
REKSTEN, J. SCHILLINGER, C. SCHOMER, L. SCHUBERT, K. SEEKINS-CROWE, T. SHARP, C.
SPRUNGER, M. THIEL, E. TILLEMAN, M. VINTON, Z. WIRTH, K. ZOLNIKOV
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO INACTIVE VOTER STATUS; CLARIFYING THAT A VOTER ON THE
INACTIVE LIST IS NOT MOVED TO THE ACTIVE LIST BY SIGNING A PETITION FOR A STATEWIDE BALLOT
ISSUE; AMENDING SECTION 13-2-222, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.