Hundreds of Ballots Rejected Following New Law Requiring Voters to Write Birth Year on Ballot Envelopes
A new Montana law requiring voters to include their birth year on ballot envelopes has led some county election officials to reject a number of ballots during this year’s local elections. The change stems from House Bill 719, passed by the 2025 Legislature, which is intended to increase voter security by adding another layer of verification to absentee ballots.
Montana voters can check the status of their ballots by visiting myvoterpage.com.
Supreme Court Grants Extra Time for Arguments in Tariff Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has granted additional time for oral arguments in a case challenging former President Donald Trump’s tariff authority. However, the Court declined to allow Blackfeet tribal members to participate in the November 5 hearing because their related case is still pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. That court is currently deciding whether the case belongs there or in the U.S. Court of International Trade.
As Federal Funding Is Slashed, Montana Begins to Wrestle with the Impact
Recent federal funding changes — both through the reconciliation bill passed this summer and other actions taken by the Trump administration — are expected to have significant impacts on Montana. According to the Legislative Fiscal Division’s report “Federal Budget Impacts to State,” the state could face an estimated $160 million shortfall.
Measles Cases Spike in Montana as Vaccination Rates Decline
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported nearly 1,600 measles cases nationwide this year, including 32 in Montana — the state’s highest total since 1992. The CDC notes that vaccination rates among children have declined since the pandemic. In 2020, 95% of kindergarteners received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. This year, that figure has dropped to 92%.
Federal Officials Announce New Support Plan for Ranchers and Beef Consumers
Since 2017, the United States has lost more than 17% of its family farms — over 100,000 operations. Nine farms in the Ninth District of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, which includes Montana, filed for bankruptcy during the second quarter of 2025.
This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced new investments aimed at stabilizing the cattle market and supporting remaining producers, with benefits expected to reach both ranchers and consumers.
More Headlines
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Enrollment Rebounds at Flathead Valley Community College:
Enrollment is gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, with about 3,409 students registered for the 2025 academic year. That total includes full- and part-time students in degree programs, as well as high school students taking Running Start classes. -
St. Vincent Regional Hospital Donates Care Packages to Billings Police:
The hospital donated more than 200 care packages for officers to give to children in vulnerable situations. Each package includes a stuffed animal, a birth certificate, and a handwritten card with words of encouragement. -
Historic Ranch Donation Preserves 38,300 Acres in North-Central Montana:
The Veseth Cattle Company, located about 50 miles south of Malta, will remain a working ranch even after Dale and Janet Veseth gifted the 38,300-acre property — valued at $21.6 million — to the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, a rancher-led nonprofit. It’s the largest working ranch donation in Montana history. -
Great Falls Community Rallies After Theft from Habitat for Humanity:
After thousands of dollars’ worth of construction tools were stolen from a Habitat for Humanity trailer, community members donated equipment, timber, and funds to help the organization continue its affordable housing projects in The Electric City. -
Montanans Set to Lose SNAP Assistance Amid Government Shutdown:
Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, more than 78,000 Montanans — including over 12,000 in Yellowstone County — are expected to lose access to SNAP benefits in November.
In response, more than 20 businesses and nonprofits have launched the “Billings Snaps Back” food drive, accepting nonperishable food donations at drop-off sites throughout The Magic City.
