WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Montana state court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking Senate Bill 490, a 2025 law that would have cut off Election Day registration for federal elections at noon, rather than when polls close. SB 490 would have eliminated more than half of the window Montanans have used for nearly two decades to register and cast a ballot on the same day.
The ruling from Judge Adam Larsen preserves the longstanding practice of full-day Election Day registration pending final resolution of a lawsuit brought by Elias Law Group and Graybill Law Firm attorneys last year to challenge SB 490 on behalf of the Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE).
In a 22-page order granting a motion for preliminary injunction filed by Elias Law Group, the court held that plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that SB 490 violates the Montana Constitution’s protection of the fundamental right to vote, finding that the law will prevent some otherwise eligible voters from casting ballots in federal elections. The court also found that the law disproportionately impacts certain groups of voters, including Native American voters and young voters.
“For nearly two decades, Montanans have used Election Day registration to make their voices heard,” said Elias Law Group partner Abha Khanna. “SB 490 sought to severely restrict Montanans’ ability to take advantage of Election Day registration. Thankfully, the Montana Federation of Public Employees stepped up to challenge this law as a violation of the Montana Constitution. We are proud to represent MFPE in this critical case, and we are glad the court granted our request for a preliminary injunction, finding that MFPE is likely to prove that SB 490 violates the voting rights of all Montanans.”
“Unions like ours are organized around the fundamental right of every voice to be heard and every vote to count in our workplaces and society,” said MFPE President Amanda Curtis. “Montanans voted to protect same day voter registration a decade ago, and today MFPE members are proud to have defended this right from overreaching politicians.”
Crucially, Montana sought to justify SB 490 by claiming that restrictions on Election Day registration would eliminate administrative burdens on election officials. In fact, the court found that SB 490 could actually impose additional burdens on election officials and increase voter confusion.
The full opinion is available here.
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