Viewpoint: Elections are secure, leadership the problem

Reilly Neill

Montana’s elections work because of the people working on the ground.

County election officials and clerks across Montana are the best in the nation. Local election workers follow the law, verify voter eligibility, protect private information, and protect ballots.

Non-citizens don’t vote in Montana because doing so is illegal. Our county officials enforce the law carefully and consistently. Election fraud in Montana is extraordinarily rare.

Strong election systems and professional county administration make fraud almost nonexistent. This raises a serious question. Why is the Secretary of State trying to make voting harder?

Requiring voters to write birth years on publicly-handled ballot mail that also includes your name, address, and signature puts our private and personal data at risk. No county election official requested this change.

Rather than supporting election offices with training and resources, the Secretary of State has undermined local administration. Taxpayer dollars have gone toward fear-based mailers and misleading claims instead of investments in voter education and the election workers who actually secure the vote.

The transfer of Montanans’ private voter data to outside corporations raises additional concerns. Public office must never be used for personal or political gain.

Montana’s voting system has remained stable for generations. Absentee voting is a long-standing Montana practice, especially important in rural counties where distance and weather matter.

Restrictions only limit participation by lawful voters.

Montana already has secure elections. Montana needs statewide leadership that respects election workers and protects the right to vote.