Montanans for Election Reform’s Constitutional Initiatives Will Be On November Ballot

By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan

Montanans for Election Reform (MER) announced its efforts to create an “open primary” and provide for “majority vote” outcomes in certain races both will be on the November ballot.

This week, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen certified Constitutional Initiatives 126 and 127.

“We’re grateful to make it through the final step of the certification process and see the will of over 100,000 Montanans who want to see these initiatives on the ballot honored,” said Frank Garner, MER board member, in a news release.

“Our citizens’ initiative process is critical for us to uphold Montana values and hold our politicians accountable. We’re excited to spend the next few months talking with voters across the state about how CI-126 and CI-127 will give voters better choices and allow us to vote for the person, not the party.”

Montanans for Election Reform believes its changes would give voters more power than special interest groups and create more accountability in elections.

CI-126, to create the open primary, would allow voters to choose among candidates of all parties in a primary. The top four candidates, regardless of party, would move onto the general.

CI-127 would mean outcomes for certain offices are determined by a majority vote, not just a plurality.

Montanans for Election Reform said its initiatives met minimum qualifications in 54 (CI-126) and 52 (CI-127) house districts; “initiatives are only required to meet that threshold in 40 legislative districts.”

“Montana citizens and voters put over 140,000 valid signatures on the petitions for CI-126 and CI-127,” said Doug Campbell, MER board member and former third-party candidate, in a statement from the group. “That’s a resounding call to see these initiatives on the ballot in November, and it is a privilege to stand up for the rights of voters to participate in the initiative process.”

The open primary would apply to elections for governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, state representative, state senator, United State representative, and United States senator.

The majority vote initiative would apply to those offices and “other offices as provided by law.”