Montana Code Annotated 2003

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     13-15-107. (Effective January 1, 2004) Handling and counting provisional and challenged ballots. (1) To verify eligibility to vote, an elector who casts a provisional ballot in person shall provide information to the election administrator as listed below:
     (a) present in person at the office of the election administrator by 5 p.m. on the day after the election a photo identification or other identifying document as described in 13-13-114(1)(a);
     (b) send by facsimile or electronic mail by 5 p.m. on the day after the election a copy or scanned document that meets the identification requirements of 13-13-114(1)(a); or
     (c) mail a copy or nonreturnable original document described in 13-13-114(1)(a) in a self-addressed return envelope provided by the election administrator. If the elector mails a document, the postmark on the envelope must be for the day of the election or the day following the election.
     (2) The election administrator shall determine prior to an election whether an absentee voter has provided sufficient identification to allow a ballot to be counted. If the information is insufficient, the election administrator shall follow procedures described in 13-13-241 to allow an absentee elector who failed to provide proper identifying information in the outer return envelope to verify eligibility to vote. An absentee elector whose ballot is determined to be provisional has until 5 p.m. on the day after the election to provide valid identification information either in person, by facsimile, by electronic mail, or by mail postmarked on the day of the election or the day after the election.
     (3) A provisional ballot must be counted if the election administrator verifies the elector's eligibility pursuant to rules adopted under 13-13-603. However, a provisional ballot may not be counted if the election administrator cannot verify the elector's eligibility under the rules.
     (4) The election administrator shall provide an elector who cast a provisional ballot but whose ballot was not counted with the reasons why the ballot was not counted.
     (5) A provisional ballot cast by an elector whose voter information is verified before 5 p.m. on the day after the election must be removed from its provisional envelope, grouped with other ballots in a manner that allows for the secrecy of the ballot to the greatest extent possible, and counted as any other ballot.

     History: En. Sec. 36, Ch. 475, L. 2003.

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