A new Montana law requiring a voter’s birth year has led to county election officials rejecting an abnormal number of ballots for this year’s local elections.

Ballots sent to Montana voters this election year look a little different than in years past. Underneath the ballot envelope’s signature line are four rectangles, with instructions to fill in a voter’s birth year.

The change comes from a law passed by the 2025 legislature that was intended to increase voter security by adding another layer of verification to absentee ballots.

In one county that had a practice run with the requirement, voters have adjusted, although a county official said the federal election next year will require significant outreach .

However, the law also gives voters an additional chance to make a mistake, a

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