The ins and outs of voter registration

As the elections approach it’s time to look ahead at how to register to vote. In 2020, 81 percent of registered Montana voters cast their ballots in the general election, while only 54 percent did in the primary according to sosmt.gov. Both of those numbers are significantly higher than years past, but still not enough.

With just over one million people living in the state, only about 75 percent are registered to vote according to the Montana Secretary of State website. This is a big problem because the only way for elected officials to accurately display the interests of the general population is to have maximum voter turnout.

Getting registered is quite simple. We’re past the deadline for regular voter registration, but people can still complete late registration until the polls close on election day.

It can be done in person at the county elections office, or through the mail.. To register, fill out a voter registration application, which can be found on the Montana Secretary of State’s website at sosmt.gov. You’ll need to provide either a driver's license or social security number. If one doesn’t have either of those, many documents with a name and address can be used as a replacement, including tribal and military ID cards, utility bills and bank statements.

For out of state college students looking to vote, there are a couple options. They may register and vote in their home state or choose to become a resident of Montana if they have lived in the state for at least 30 days. Then they can vote in the county where they attend school. For MSU students, Gallatin County is the county to vote under. Out-of-state students that want to register to vote in Montana must make sure they are only registered to vote in Montana and not in their home state anymore.

Although it’s too late for regular voter registration and absentee ballot voting, people can still get out and cast their ballots. If you have questions, call 1-888-884-VOTE (8683), the Montana Secretary of State’s voter hotline..

This simple process makes it so every student attending MSU, whether in or out of state, can get registered and make their voice heard in a state where every vote counts.