Melville, Montana Public Records

While state law now permits Election Day registration at the Sweet Grass County election office or polling place with proper ID, residents are encouraged to register at least 30 days before an election. Registration requires a valid Montana driver's license or state ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number, plus a current Montana residential address. Because the community is unincorporated with no municipal government, there are no city council or mayoral elections. Instead, voters participate in Sweet Grass County Commissioner elections - three commissioners serving six-year staggered terms - along with countywide offices such as Sheriff, County Attorney, and Clerk and Recorder, typically appearing on even-numbered year ballots. Residents can locate their assigned polling place by contacting the Election Administrator at (406) 932-5152 or using the Montana Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/, where entering a name and date of birth or address reveals precinct and polling location. In the November 2024 general election, Sweet Grass County reported voter turnout of approximately 75-78 percent of registered voters, consistent with Montana's historically high rural participation. Donald Trump won the county with approximately 70-75 percent of the vote, reflecting the area's strongly conservative voting pattern. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, voters here will decide several important races. Montana will hold elections for the U.S. House of Representatives, the state's two congressional districts, with the area in District 2, along with possible state legislature races for Montana House and Senate districts covering Sweet Grass County. County offices such as County Commissioners (one or two seats depending on rotation), possibly Sheriff, County Attorney, Clerk and Recorder, and other positions may appear depending on term schedules. Voters should verify specific 2026 races closer to the election as candidate filing occurs in early 2026. Montana offers absentee voting, called mail ballot or absentee ballot, available to any registered voter without requiring an excuse. Voters may request an absentee ballot through the Sweet Grass County election office by completing an application available at https://sosmt.gov/elections/absentee/ or by contacting the Sweet Grass County Election Administrator. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the county by noon the day before the election, though earlier requests are strongly recommended. Montana has expanded mail ballot options in recent years, with some counties conducting all-mail elections for certain races. Election records that are public in Montana include voter registration lists, available for purchase for political purposes under MCA §13-2-110, campaign finance reports filed with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices and searchable at https://capp-mt.gov/, candidate filing information and petitions, precinct-level election results, and official canvass reports. The county election office can provide precinct results for the area upon request. Montana law under MCA Title 13 governs all election procedures, and the Secretary of State's Elections Division at https://sosmt.gov/elections/ provides voter information, candidate guides, and election calendars.