Montana Supreme Court Overturns Republican Voting Restrictions

In a landmark decision, the court ruled that the laws violated the state constitution, emphasizing protection for young and Indigenous voters.

The Montana Supreme Court has struck down four voting restrictions passed by the state's Republican-controlled legislature in 2021, citing violations of the state constitution.
Chief Justice Mike McGrath highlighted the laws' potential to disenfranchise young and Indigenous voters, emphasizing the Montana constitution's robust voting protections.
The struck-down laws included ending same-day voter registration, prohibiting student ID cards as voter ID, banning third-party ballot returns, and barring mail-in ballots for future 18-year-olds.
Critics, including the Montana Secretary of State, decried the decision as judicial activism and a blow to election integrity, while supporters hailed it as a victory for democracy and voter access.
The decision is seen as a model for other state courts on protecting voting rights within state constitutions, amid ongoing national debates over voting laws.