Accessible Voting Options

With the general election coming on November 5, 2024, it is time to ensure that you are registered to vote and start preparing for how you are going to vote.

To be eligible to vote, you must be a US citizen, lived in Montana for at least 30 days, and be at least 18 years old on election day. To check your voter registration status, find out where you go to vote, and even view a sample ballot, please go to https://prodvoterportal.mt.gov/WhereToVote.aspx.

Once you are registered to vote, as a Montana voter you have the right to cast a private and independent ballot, vote in an accessible way, and ask for help in voting. Some options for voting accessibly include:

To learn more about accessible voting options for voters with disabilities in Montana, please click here to visit the Secretary of State’s website.

Who We Are

Summit Independent Living is a consumer-driven, non-residential, private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing peer-delivered services that are unique in the world of human services designed to give people with all types of disabilities the tools and resources that are needed to improve independence, self-confidence, knowledge, skills and access to community resources. Summit serves people with all types of disabilities.

Summit provides consumer and advocacy services to residents of Missoula, Ravalli, Mineral, Lake, Sanders, Flathead, and Lincoln Counties as well as works on a systemic level nationally and across Montana to improve the lives of individuals living with disabilities. Summit’s primary office is located in Missoula, Montana and has branch offices located in Hamilton, Ronan, and Kalispell.

We believe that people with disabilities have the right to control their own lives and enjoy the same opportunities as all other citizens.

  • All four mural images displayed at the Allez! alleyway mural space
  • A group who attended the Wine and Cheese event pose for a picture
  • John asks the Camp Horror movie creators questions for a Q&A session
  • Three individuals dressed in incredible clothing from Betty's pose with their fists raised up in power
  • A group from Summit confront staff from Beehive Homes
  • A group of individuals in wheelchairs engage in conversation together
  • The El Cazador food truck is parked at the new Summit building site where a crowd enjoys the Summit 80's Party

Learn More About Seasonal Vaccines

Logo: Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative Powered by USAging

Fall is a busy time of year. School is in full force, and the holidays are on the horizon. It’s also when new flu, COVID-19, and other seasonal vaccines become  available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generally recommend everyone ages 6 months and above get both the influenza and the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines are one of the most life-saving medical interventions ever created and regular vaccination is one of the most important ways to protect yourself against respiratory diseases, including COVID, flu and RSV.

Summit Independent Living and UM Pharmacy Partnership are working together to make vaccines available to all who want them by supporting ADVC with grant financing from USAging/ACL. A private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Summit offers consumer and advocacy services to people living in the counties of Sanders, Flathead, Ravalli, Mineral, Lake, Missoula, and Lincoln. supplying the instruments and resources required for individuals with all kinds of disabilities to enhance their independence, self-assurance, knowledge, capacities, and access to community resources.

Check out our seasonal wellness clinic page often for the latest schedules of vaccine clinics in your area.

Join the Action Alert Listserv

The Montana Centers for Independent Living Action Alert system is an email listserv and online portal designed to inform you about current local, state, and national issues that affect the lives of people with disabilities.

The Action Alert system is administered by Montana’s four centers for independent living who serve as a strong, collective voice on a wide range of national, state and local issues and work to assure physical, attitudinal, and programmatic access to housing, employment, transportation, communities, recreation, and health and social services.

Our action alert system works much like a listserv. Just sign up to become an advocate by clicking the button on the right and we will email you about important opportunities to advocate on behalf of individuals with disabilities locally, statewide, and nationally.

You may also visit the MTCIL Action Alert system website to learn more about our advocacy efforts as well as to take action on various issues right now.

Now more than ever we all need to join forces and work together to improve and preserve the services that keep people healthy, active, productive and involved in their communities. Remember, democracy is a “participatory sport.” We all have tremendous power to bring about positive change, but only if we get involved, speak out and demand that our elected officials do the right thing.

Our Action Alert system offers many opportunities for you to get involved, follow our advocacy efforts, as well as to look up and contact your elected officials.

Montana Centers for Independent Living Action Alert system
NCIL 5 for 5 Fund Centers for Independent Living $500 million for 5 Court Services Advocacy Campaign Logo

Learn More About NCIL’s New Advocacy Campaign, 5 For 5!

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is leading a nationwide effort to Congress for $500 million to invest in community living & independence for people with disabilities.

Centers for Independent Living (CILs) (Title VII, Rehabilitation Act, as amended) have been underfunded for decades, leading to individuals with disabilities lacking access to critical services and support!

Many areas in the U.S., especially in rural communities do not have access to a CIL. CILs need more funding in order to expand their service areas to address the unmet needs.

Funding CILs enables individuals with disabilities to live in their homes with their families where they can work, attend school, worship, and participate in other community activities. CILs are hubs of disability information, resources, services, and advocacy. CILs are vital to the whole community. It also creates tremendous savings for taxpayers.

To learn more about NCIL’s 5 for 5 advocacy campaign and to find out how you can get involved, please click here to visit NCIL’s 5 for 5 campaign website.

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