{"data":{"id":"us-mt/13-1-303","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"13-1-303","heading":"Disposition of ballots and other election materials.","body":"(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.\n(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.\n(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:\n(i) contest begun;\n(ii) recount pending; or\n(iii) appeal of a decision relating to a contest, a recount, or a postelection random-sample audit.\n(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.","path":["TITLE 13. ELECTIONS","CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS","Part 3. Local Election Administration"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0130/chapter_0010/part_0030/section_0030/0130-0010-0030-0030.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:46:15Z","sha256":"78d609ce9d2169e38e35673ab5d0bef2fe66fd6c53230124186e5103807c46ea","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/13-1-302","next":"us-mt/13-1-304"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}