Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 13. ELECTIONS

CHAPTER 35. ELECTION AND CAMPAIGN PRACTICES AND CRIMINAL PROVISIONS

Part 2. Specific Provisions

Deceptive Election Practices

13-35-207. Deceptive election practices. A person is guilty of false swearing, unsworn falsification, or tampering with public records or information, as appropriate, and is punishable as provided in 45-7-202, 45-7-203, or 45-7-208, as applicable, whenever the person:

(1) falsely represents the person's name or other information required upon the person's voter registration form and causes registration with the form;

(2) signs a voter registration form knowingly witnessing any false or misleading statement;

(3) knowingly causes a false statement, certificate, or return of any kind to be signed;

(4) falsely makes a declaration or certificate of nomination;

(5) files or receives for filing a declaration or certificate of nomination knowing that all or part of the declaration or certificate is false;

(6) forges or falsely makes the official endorsement of a ballot;

(7) forges or counterfeits returns of an election purporting to have been held at a precinct, municipality, or ward where no election was in fact held;

(8) knowingly substitutes forged or counterfeit returns of election in place of the true returns for a precinct, municipality, or ward where an election was held;

(9) signs a name other than the person's own to a petition, signs more than once for the same ballot issue, or signs a petition while not being a qualified elector of the state; or

(10) makes a false oath or affidavit where an oath or affidavit is required by law.

History: En. 23-47-115 by Sec. 15, Ch. 334, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 23-47-115; amd. Sec. 218, Ch. 571, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 23, Ch. 481, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 32, Ch. 368, L. 2017.