Initiative to change Montana’s primary elections likely to fail
Laura Lundquist
(Missoula Current) A Montana Constitutional initiative to change primary elections such that all candidates appear on the same ballot is likely to fail although the vote is close.
Constitutional Initiative 126 had 48% approval as of midday Wednesday with about 60% of precincts fully counted, according to the Montana Secretary of State. Compared to those opposed, there were about 20,000 fewer voters who supported the initiative to make Montana’s primary a truly open primary where voters didn’t have to choose to vote just one party or the other.
All candidates would still be identified by party, and the top four vote-getters would advance to the general election. The initiative would apply only to federal, legislative and top state office candidates.
Counties where a majority voted in favor of the initiative include Silver Bow, Roosevelt, Park, Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Glacier, Gallatin, Deer Lodge and Big Horn. Several of those counties had not finished counting their ballots, with 80,000 still outstanding by noon Wednesday. Although the margin would likely shrink throughout the day, Montanans for Election Reform, the bipartisan group backing Constitutional Initiative 126 released a statement around midday.
“Today is a disappointing day as we see politicians and special interests once again succeed at stopping Montanans from gaining more power in our elections,” said Frank Garner, Montanans for Election Reform board member. “We fought hard against the entrenched politicians and special interests who didn’t want to give voters more voice and better choices on the ballot because the current system benefits them, not voters. We still believe open primaries are a powerful tool to hold politicians accountable and put the power over our elections back in the hands of voters, but they aren’t the only path forward. We will continue to stand up for freedom and choice in our elections.”
Montanans for Election Reform said the way elections are currently run “prioritizes political parties and special interests. By allowing voters to pick who they believe is the best candidate for each race, instead of restricting who they can choose from in primary elections, Montana Citizens will have better choices and more voice in our elections,” according to the Secretary of State Voter Information Pamphlet. They argued that the current system allows politicians to be less accountable.
Some of the leaders of Montanans for Election Reform include Frank Garner, a former Republican legislator from Kalispell; Mary Sexton, a former director of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation under Governor Brian Schweitzer; and Doug Campbell, 2022 Libertarian candidate for the Montana House of Representatives from Bozeman.
Opponents argued that CI-126 would make elections “more difficult, time consuming and expensive for the average voter,” according to the Secretary of State Voter Information Pamphlet. They claimed the push for CI-126 was being orchestrated by “outside groups” and would make Montana politics increasingly negative and more polarizing.
“Montanans made their choice clear on their desire to have simple and fair elections by saying no to the combined ranked-choice voting initiatives CI-126 and CI-127," said Montana House Speaker Matt Reger. These measures would have made voting mor complicated, reduced voter turnout, cost more money, and could have led to delays and confusion about whose votes matter. By sticking with our current system, Montanans are keeping things straight forward and making sure every vote matters. Montanans won today.”
Leaders of the CI-126 opponents include Charles Denowh, former executive director of the Montana Republican Party and president of the Montana Group, a political consulting firm that offers lobbying, compliance, public relations, data analysis and development, PAC management, campaign management and grassroots organization. He is also policy director of the United Property Owners of Montana.
In 2018, he led the opposition to I-185, a proposal to increase the state tobacco tax to raise revenue to fund Medicaid Expansion. I-185 failed to pass with 53% voting against. Other leaders include state Republican legislators Shelley Vance of Belgrade, Lee Deming of Laurel and Greg Hertz of Polson.
Montanans for Election Reform also sponsored CI-127 to require candidates to get more than 50% of the vote, rather than just a plurality, to get elected. CI-127 was far less popular, earning only 39% of the vote as of midday Wednesday.