Montana has taken a bold and necessary step forward in an attempt to help ensure the accuracy of voter rolls nationwide. A number of laws passed by the Montana legislature in the 2023 legislative session aimed at strengthening the voter registration an election process have been met with opposition in the courts across the state. One in particular, HB0892 required individuals who move to the state and register to vote to cancel their voter registration in their previous state, however the state supreme court has temporarily blocked the new law from going into effect.
This legislation, while straightforward in its premise, carries profound weight for the election process. By requiring individuals to cancel their previous voter registration upon moving to Montana, the state is not only ensuring that its voter rolls remain accurate and up-to-date but also affirming the principle of “one person, one vote” is being adhered to across the country.
Critics argue that this law imposes an additional burden on individuals seeking to exercise their right to vote, and that there was no clear path given to facilitate this requirement. However, we believe this perspective is an administrative challenge and not one of constitutionality which overlooks the fundamental importance of maintaining accurate voter rolls to preserve the integrity of the voting system and elections. With the legitimacy of our electoral system being increasingly called into question, measures such as this are essential to increase public trust in the electoral process.
Moreover, Montana’s new law is not without precedent. Nearly all states have laws criminalizing double voting, and numerous states already have similar registration statutes in place, which recognizing the need to address the challenges of voter registration in an age of increased mobility. By aligning itself with these existing norms, Montana is simply taking proactive measures to uphold the integrity of its own electoral system.
This new law does not impede individuals’ ability to exercise their right to vote; rather, it serves to shore up the registration process and prevent potential instances of double voting. While rare, every year double voting does occur and is prosecuted across the country, but most of it is unintentional and the perpetrators are punished for their ignorance. The argument that the Montana law could turn someone into a felon simply for registering to vote ignores the fact that the new law also prevents the individual from committing a double voting felony in Montana and the previous state they lived in.
Ultimately, the implementation of this law emphasizes Montana’s commitment to ensure that every vote cast in the state is legitimate and accurately reflects the will of the people, Montana is setting an example for others to follow in the ongoing effort to protect the integrity of our electoral process.