Montana § 13-1-303 Disposition Of Ballots And Other Election Materials

Montana Statutes

§ 13-1-303 — Disposition Of Ballots And Other Election Materials

Montana·Title 13 ELECTIONS·Ch. 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS·Part 3 Local Election Administration

13-1-303 . Disposition of ballots and other election materials.

(1)(a) Except for a federal election and as provided in 13-15-301 (2), the voted ballots, detached stubs, unvoted ballots, and unused ballots from an election must be kept in the unopened packages received from the election judges for a period of 12 months. The packages may be opened only when an order for opening is given by the proper official either for a recount procedure or to process provisional ballots.

(b)The voted ballots, detached stubs, unvoted ballots, and unused ballots from a federal election must be retained in the unopened packages received from the election judges for a period of 22 months. The packages may be opened only as provided in subsection (1)(a) or for a postelection random-sample audit of vote-coun

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13-1-303 . Disposition of ballots and other election materials. (1) (a) Except for a federal election and as provided in 13-15-301 (2), the voted ballots, detached stubs, unvoted ballots, and unused ballots from an election must be kept in the unopened packages received from the election judges for a period of 12 months. The packages may be opened only when an order for opening is given by the proper official either for a recount procedure or to process provisional ballots.
(b) The voted ballots, detached stubs, unvoted ballots, and unused ballots from a federal election must be retained in the unopened packages received from the election judges for a period of 22 months. The packages may be opened only as provided in subsection (1)(a) or for a postelection random-sample audit of vote-counting machines.
(c) An election administrator may dispose of the ballots as provided in subsection (2) if after the time periods provided for in this subsection (1), there is no:
(i) contest begun;
(ii) recount pending; or
(iii) appeal of a decision relating to a contest, a recount, or a postelection random-sample audit.
(2) Each election administrator shall prepare a plan for retention and destruction of election records in the county according to the retention schedules established by the local government records committee provided for in 2-6-1201 .

Montana § 13-1-303 (Disposition Of Ballots And Other Election Materials) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Legislative History

En. Sec. 17, Ch. 571, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 97, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 586, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 89, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 242, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 38, Ch. 348, L. 2015.