# Montana SB 498: Revise election laws related to preparation procedures for primary elections

Montana SB 498, Revise election laws related to preparation procedures for primary elections, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Wendy McKamey (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB498-2025
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Montana SB 498
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Revise election laws related to preparation procedures for primary elections
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-25
- Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Wendy McKamey (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Elections
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (233 yes, 65 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New rules for primary ballot counting: benefit, low. At primary elections, election judges must match the number of party ballots and other ballots to the number of voters. Judges list each party’s candidates in separate tally books. Judges bundle voted ballots by party for return to the election administrator. Judges bundle unvoted ballots under sta…
- Primary election changes apply immediately: benefit, low. The act takes effect on passage and approval. The new primary election procedures apply right away. State and local election officials must follow them now.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Wendy McKamey (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Becky Edwards (Democrat), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 83 | 17 |   |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 88 | 11 |   |
| 2025-03-06 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 32 | 18 |   |
| 2025-03-06 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 30 | 19 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2025-05-08: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate)
- 2025-05-05: Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: Transmitted to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-04-21: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-04-13: Returned from Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-11: Sent to Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-20: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-17: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-03-17: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-03-07: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-05: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-03-01: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-25: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=70d76c01-d5e8-407b-8148-b0e3ee973609)
- Introduced, 2025-02-25: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4111fe86-3979-4247-839e-d39bfad892d0)

## Related bills

- SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed)
- HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed)
- HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed)
- SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed)
- SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed)
- SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed)

## Sources
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=70d76c01-d5e8-407b-8148-b0e3ee973609)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4111fe86-3979-4247-839e-d39bfad892d0)

## Related
- [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025)
- [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025)
- [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025)
- [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025)
- [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025)
- [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025)
- [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills)
- [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB498-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).