Election officials: Late registration ends Monday

Election officials are reminding people that they will not be able to register to vote on Election Day, following a state Supreme Court ruling overturning a district judge’s ruling blocking the impact of new laws.

District Court Judge Michael Moses ruled in April the laws that eliminated Election Day voter registration, changed voter ID requirements for college students and banned the paid collection of voted ballots would not be in effect for the June primary election because it appears they “unconstitutionally burden the right to vote,” The Associated Press reported.

That would have allowed people to register late and vote on Primary Election Day, next Tuesday, but a Montana Supreme Court ruling in May overturned that decision and put the deadline for late registration back to noon on the day before Election Day, or noon Monday.

The Supreme Court ruling said the injunction blocking the laws should be overturned because the laws passed by the 2021 Legislature were in effect for last year’s municipal election and the most recent laws in effect should be used.

A legal notice from the Hill County Clerk and Recorder’s Office says late registration for the Tuesday, June 7, primary election will close at noon Monday, June 6.

“Persons who are not currently registered may register in person at the Hill County Elections office until 12:00 noon on Monday, June 6, 2022,” the notice says. “You must appear in person at the Elections office to register and receive your 2022 Primary ballot.”

“As a reminder: Please bring a photo ID to vote,” the notice adds.

It notes that the court decision means people will not be able to register on Election Day and receive a ballot.

People with questions are urged to contact their elections office for more information.

The notice says Hill County residents can call 406-400-2412.

The numbers for other local elections offices are, in Blaine County, 406-357-3240; Chouteau County, 406-622-5151, and Liberty County, 406-759-5365.