Dear Editor,
Please do your research before voting on the three, pathetic constitutional initiatives on Montana’s 2024 ballot (CI-126, CI-127, CI-128).
Earlier this year, the petitioners who gathered signatures to get the initiatives on November’s ballot used fraudulent and deceptive tactics to obtain citizens’ signatures. They were financed by out-of-state dark money and were paid $7.00 a signature for their misleading efforts. Most people had no clue what they were signing.
CI-126 is mislabeled, “Top-Four Primary Initiative”, but really promotes Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV). RCV was wisely prohibited by the 2023 Montana legislature but was incorrectly overruled by our far-left activist, Montana Supreme Court. I implore everyone to learn about this overly complicated, confusing voting method which turns our elections into a game of odds and replaces the one person-one vote principle of American elections. If enacted, among other puzzling conditions, candidates can appear on a ballot without a party affiliation or endorsement, so voters have no idea who they are voting for. Voters will also be required to “rank” their preferences from 1-4, even if they may not support more than one candidate. No one in Montana is asking for RCV. In fact, most of the $5+ million spent on promoting CI-126 has come from three, out-of-state dark money groups.
California and Washington state practice RCV, so this fact alone should clearly show all Montanans that our state should not adopt it. Alaska implemented RCV in 2020 and their citizens have tried unsuccessfully to repeal it because of its disastrous results. RCV is an absurd and outrageous voting method that is not necessary.
CI-127 amends the Montana Constitution to provide that a candidate must win more than
50% of the vote to win an election. This already happens in most Montana elections, but if enacted, it would require more time and taxpayer money be spent on runoff elections, thus, delaying the decision of the race and NO ONE wants the political season extended.
CI-128 attempts to enshrine abortion rights by amending Montana’s Constitution. NEWSFLASH: Women can already legally get an abortion in Montana, but if CI-128 passes, there will be no restrictions to abortion, even during the third trimester and up to the moment of birth, and the legislature can do nothing to alter it.
These are terrible initiatives and all three should be rejected. Remember, if they are passed and problems arise in the future, constitutional amendments are almost always permanent and difficult, if not impossible to change. Make the only logical decision and vote NO on all three constitutional initiatives.
Cam Browne
Billings
