What Does an Election Observer Do?
MTEOI observers receive training on Montana election law and procedures and observe designated election processes in their communities. Using standardized checklists, observers document what they see without interfering with election officials, voters, or the voting process.
Observations from across the state are compiled to provide a broader picture of how election procedures are carried out and to inform MTEOI’s public reporting and, where warranted, evidence-based recommendations for improvement.
2026 General Election Observation
MTEOI will be observing the General Election on Nov. 3 in the following counties:
- Bighorn
- Broadwater
- Carbon
- Cascade
- Custer
- Flathead
- Glacier
- Hill
- Lake
- Lewis and Clark
- Ravalli
- Rosebud
- Valley
- Yellowstone
About MTEOI
The Mansfield Center, in partnership with The Carter Center, co-sponsors the Montana Election Observation Initiative (MTEOI). Funded by The Carter Center, MTEOI is a nonpartisan effort led by and for Montanans to increase transparency and public understanding of elections. MTEOI is among the first initiatives of its kind in the United States to bring established international election observation practices to the observation of U.S. elections.
The initiative builds on a pilot project conducted during Montana’s June 4, 2024, primary election in Missoula County. Learn more about the pilot on The Carter Center’s website. Since the pilot, MTEOI has mobilized observers every election cycle, with an increased geographic reach each year. MTEOI’s reports can be found on their website here.
The Carter Center
The Carter Center is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. For decades, the Center has conducted election observation efforts internationally and is now applying that experience to election observation efforts in the United States.
Since 1989, The Carter Center has observed 124 elections in 40 countries and three Native American nations. Learn more about The Carter Center’s Democracy Program here.