Montana’s Supreme Court Rules Voting Reform Laws Are Unconstitutional

Montana’s Supreme Court on March 27 struck down four major voting reform laws passed by the state’s Legislature in 2021 after ruling they are unconstitutional. In a sweeping 4-3 decision (pdf), the court reaffirmed a 2022 lower court ruling that found the four bills are unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. The ruling marked a victory for the Montana Democratic Party, along with various youth and Native American-focused organizations, who had filed a lawsuit against Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen over the laws: House Bill 176, House Bill 530, House Bill 506, and Senate Bill 169. The four measures eliminated election day registration, which allowed residents to register to vote on the day of elections or by using “same-day registration,” and banned the use of ballot collectors who receive any “pecuniary benefit,” as part of Republican-led efforts to bolster election integrity and prevent possible corruption....