Montana Courts Reject Ballot, Initiative Restrictions

Courts in Montana have rejected multiple restrictions on voting and citizen-led lawmaking. A state district court ruled that requiring absentee voters to print their birth year on ballot envelopes violated the state constitution after thousands of otherwise valid ballots were rejected. Separately, the Montana Supreme Court struck down provisions of a 2023 law that imposed barriers on ballot initiatives, ruling that the Legislature may regulate the process but cannot impair voters’ constitutional lawmaking power. In a separate national dispute, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to expand access to federal records for checking voter eligibility, while limiting broad database searches during the 90 days before the 2026 midterms. Utah voters, meanwhile, are set to consider a proposed amendment requiring 60% approval for citizen-led initiatives that raise taxes, a threshold supporters say ensures broad backing and critics argue would weaken voters’ power.