Montana League of Women Voters presents seminar about proposed constitutional amendments

Posters for Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, the group behind CI-128 in 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

The Montana League of Women Voters and Lewis & Clark Library are co-sponsoring “Do You Know What You’re Voting For?” to learn about three significant proposed amendments to the Montana Constitution.

The seminar will tease out the implications of Constitutional Initiatives 126, 127, and 128. One is about protecting abortion and the others are about how people get elected.

CI-126 would create an open primary system in Montana, allowing voters to choose any candidate on the primary ballot regardless of the candidate’s party affiliation. All candidates would appear on one ballot in June rather than separate party ballots, with the top four candidates for each office going on to the general election in November.

CI-127 would require that the winner of the general election receive a majority of the votes – more than 50 percent. While proponents say these changes will temper political extremism, opponents say it will weaken the role of traditional political parties.

Frank Garner, a former Republican state representative from Kalispell and board member with Montanans for Election Reform (a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and third-party advocates), will speak in support of the two initiatives.

“Both measures reduce division and gridlock, improve voters’ choices, increase competition and put voters back in charge of their election system,” says Garner.

Speaking in opposition to these two initiatives will be former Republican Montana legislator and Bozeman attorney Matthew Monforton, who calls these two initiatives an effort “to stifle conservatives” that will be “to the detriment of regular Montana citizens.”

Betsy Brandborg, retired General Counsel of the Montana State Bar, will explain the effect of Constitutional amendments generally. She will also discuss the reason that CI-128 is on the ballot.

C1-128 , if passed, would provide a right for women to obtain a pre-viability abortion. Abortion is legal in Montana through the constitutionally protected right to privacy, but proponents want to specify the right to abortion in the Constitution.

This is a hybrid meeting open to the public, both on Zoom and in person in Helena. The in-person event is at Lewis & Clark Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch.

If you are attending the Zoom Webinar, register in advance for by clicking here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.