HELENA — A proposed ballot referendum to ask voters whether to limit the practice of gathering absentee ballots in Montana advanced Monday from a state legislative panel.

By a party-line vote of 11-8, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee endorsed House Bill 352, sending it to the House floor.

Sen. Al Olszewski, R-Kalispell, sponsored the measure, which he said is intended to limit potential malfeasance by get-out-the-vote groups and individuals that collect mail-in ballots for voters and turn them in at election offices.

The measure would limit the number of ballots collected by those groups to six ballots per individual, and require that those collecting ballots provide their contact information in a registry maintained by the voting office.

During the committee’s hearing on the bill last week, college student groups and the Montana American Civil Liberties Union testified in opposition, arguing it would suppress voting by the elderly, college students and those working multiple jobs or otherwise unable to get to the polls.

During the committee’s discussion of the bill Monday, Rep. Bill Harris, R-Winnett, argued that the measure would safeguard vulnerable voters from having their ballots destroyed or tampered with.

While Republicans also characterized current practices as insufficient to keep ballots secure, Democrats took note of the lack of evidence statewide that the system had resulted in any fraudulent practices by ballot collectors.

“If you give your ballot to someone who would potentially do something with it or tamper with it, that’s your choice,” Rep. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula, said. “From all the testimony we heard, they don’t know if any occurrences of that happening.”

The proposed legislative referendum passed the Senate 30-19 last month. House approval would place the question on the November 2018 ballot.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at [email protected].