by Seth Morgan, Bigfork
As a fan of local history I was fascinated to learn about Montana’s Corrupt Practices Act, which passed by ballot initiative in 1912, and completely banned corporate influence in our elections for 100 years. We needed this law because the copper kings were able to buy elections outright, from state representatives all the way up to the US Senate!
But ever since the Citizens United ruling found that corporations had 1st Amendment rights and that money is speech, we’ve had a flood of outside, anonymous money distorting Montana elections. Instead of the copper companies we’ve got tech companies wanting to build data centers and anonymous billionaires pushing their unaccountable agendas.
Ballot Initiative I-194, also known as The Montana Plan, is one way regular people can fight back against this flood of cash. It would change Montana’s corporate law so that “artificial persons”—aka corporations, nonprofits, and dark money C-4 organizations—would not have the power to spend money in elections. The state defines these entities, so it can define their powers. This is how we can get back to the principle of “one person, one vote” instead of greater influence going to those with bigger bank accounts.
As a father and a conservationist, I want to see this state’s traditions of independence and natural beauty continue into the next generation. So I’m voting YES on Ballot Initiative 194. I hope you’ll join me!
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