Christi Jacobsen for Secretary of State
Republican
By Denise Rivette
Montana Independent News posed the same four questions to all candidates in the Montana secretary of state race. Republican Christi Jacobsen’s views are presented in their entirety below.
What are the Montana values that will guide your decision-making?
I was born and raised in Montana, graduated from Capital High, Carroll College, and earned my master’s degree from the University of Montana. Me and my husband raise four children in Montana—in Montana, our family roots run deep. As a fourth-generation Montanan, I stand strong for Montana's values: freedom, family, free enterprise, and fair elections.
What skills, knowledge, and experience do you possess that make you the better candidate?
As Montana’s Chief Election Officer and Chief Deputy, I have nearly a decade of experience overseeing Montana’s elections and navigating our state through one of the most turbulent times in election law interpretation in state history. My administration has delivered historic results to businesses and voters while providing exceptional customer service. I saved the state millions and modernized the office from microfilm to the digital age. I intend to continue nationally leading with the support of an amazing team during my second term.
What are your top priorities to address during your term if you are elected?
Free enterprise, fair elections, and limited government.
What actions will you take to address those priorities?
As Montana’s Secretary of State, I am proud of our work to ensure Montana’s elections are secure and accessible. However, there is always room for improvement. Montana needs a meaningful voter identification requirement, and my commitment to that goal has not wavered. Several overlapping deadlines lead to administrative and taxpayer dollars being unnecessarily wasted, which could be improved in a meaningful and bipartisan way. Synchronization with modern vital statistics databases has the capacity to more quickly remove our deceased loved ones from the voter rolls compared to the current outdated process. These are a few examples of legislation that I am looking at during my second term.