Prop*50

Complaints in Montana Over Signature-Gathering

The Montana secretary of state's office reports that nearly 50 complaints have been received regarding the manner in which initiative petitions were circulated.  While a few of the complaints were directed at petitions that did not qualify for the ballot, 85 percent of them had to do with two of the three initiatives that did qualify.

The nature of the complaints is familiar -- deception on the part of circulators about the nature of the proposal and non-state residents serving as circulators.  The sponsors of the two qualified measures that received complaints -- CI-106, which would prohibit any new taxes on real estate transactions, and I-161, which would ban outfitter-sponsored hunting in the state -- insist that their circulators were properly trained and followed all laws.

Secretary of State Linda McCulloch agreed earlier this year to receive complaints about signature-gathering tactics, even though she is powerless to do anything about violations.  In Montana, neither the secretary of state nor the Commissioner of Political Practices has the statutory authority to investigate or prosecute violations of the laws governing petitioning.  Violations must be pursued by the public through the civil courts.

In September 2006, three measures were removed from the Montana ballot after a judge found that circulators (all hired by the same firm) had broken the laws governing petition circulation.  The case was upheld by the state supreme court in October, and the three measures stayed off the ballot. 

Read more about this year's complaints in the Great Falls Tribune.

Three initiatives qualify for Montana ballot

Montana secretary of state Linda McCulloch announced today that three initiatives submitted enough valid signatures to qualify for the November 2 ballot.  They are:

• I-161, which would abolish outfitter-sponsored big-game hunting
• I-164, which would limit the interest rates charged by payday lenders
• CI-105, which would prohibit any new taxes on real estate sales or transactions

The three initiatives join a measure asking voters if they want to hold a constitutional convention.  The state constitution requires that this question be posed at least every 20 years.

A total of 26 initiatives were filed, and 11 of those were circulated for signatures.

Montana: 4 initiatives close to qualifying

Friday was the deadline for county officials to turn initiative petitions over to the secretary of state.  Officials in the secretary of state's office will work throughout the weekend to count valid signatures, and results should be available early next week.

As of now, it appears that four initiatives are close to qualifying and could make the ballot next week:

• Initiative 160:  prohibits trapping animals and birds on public lands
• Initiative 161:  prohibits outfitter-sponsored nonresident hunting
• Initiative 164:  regulates interest rates charged by payday lenders
• Constitutional Initiative 105:  prohibits new taxes on real estate transactions

Montana Signature Deadline Passes

The deadline to submit initiative petitions for signature verification by county election officials in Montana was Friday, June 18.  According to the Billings Gazette, at least two of the ten petitions circulated this year have a good chance of qualifying for the ballot.  One would regulate payday lenders and cap interest rates at 36 percent; the other would prohibit real estate sale and transfer taxes.  Other initiatives submitted include one to change hunting license fees, a ban on trapping wild animals and birds, an anti-abortion "personhood" measure, and a repeal of the state's medical marijuana law.

Initiatives proposing changes to state law require signatures from 24,337 qualified voters, which must include signatures from five percent of the qualified voters in each of 34 of the state's 100 legislative districts.  Constitutional amendments require 48,674 signatures, including signatures from 10 percent of the qualified voters in each of 40 legislative districts.

County officials have until July 16 to verify signatures and turn the petitions in to the secretary of state.