Montana begins mailing absentee ballots for the 2026 general election on Oct. 9. The voting method has become dramatically more popular over the past two decades: About 22% of ballots were cast absentee in 2004, compared with roughly 70% cast through absentee ballots in 2024.
Author Archives: Jacob Olness
Jacob Olness joined Montana Free Press as a data reporter and digital product producer in 2024. Among other topics, his reporting covers trends in industry, politics, transportation and health issues. His past experience ranges from work as an ASE-certified master mechanic to a software engineering role at a financial services company. He was born and raised in Billings, where he lives with his wife and two sons. You can reach Jacob at [email protected].
