Montana Code Annotated

Mont. Code Ann. § 13-35-207 (2026)

Deceptive Election Practices

✓ current as of May 2026
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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.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2007–2024 · leading case: Larson v. State, 434 P.3d 241 (Mont. 2019).
Larson v. State, 434 P.3d 241 (Mont. 2019). · cites it 2× “See § 13-27-303(3), MCA (citing § 13-27-106, MCA (unsworn falsification or tampering with public records or information); ***214 § 13-35-207, MCA (deceptive election practices) ).”
Doty v. Montana Comm'r of Political Practices, 2007 MT 341 (Mont. 2007). · cites it 2× “The Commissioner concluded there was insufficient evidence that Doty violated § 45-7-202, MCA, Montana’s “false swearing” statute, or § 13-35-207, MCA, Montana’s “deceptive election practices” statute, and thus elected not to pursue legal action against Doty on the basis…”
Democratic Party v. Jacobsen, 2024 MT 66 (Mont. 2024). · cites it 4× “Montana law already criminalizes this behavior, and both were sentenced under § 13-35-207, MCA, which carries a maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine.”
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