Alerts & Actions
2018 General Election Ballot Guide
Ballots are in the mail!
If you are a permanent absentee voter, you should receive your ballot in the next few days. If you are a poll voter, the General Election is Tuesday, November 6th.
There are four ballot measures on the ballot in 2018. The Network has positions on three of them. Ballot measures are the last thing on your ballot, so remember to vote all the way to the end! Keep reading to check out our ballot measure guide!
Vote YES on I-185
The Montana Human Rights Network SUPPORTS I-185
Vote YES on I-185
The Healthy Montana Initiative
I-185 saves Medicaid as we know it in the state of Montana. It increases the tobacco tax and uses the new revenue to fund essential health services. We know how important it is to save Medicaid for 100,000 Montanans, but I-185 does more than that. I-185 would fund programs that prevent kids from smoking and help current smokers quit. It funds long-term care services that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently and remain in their homes, and it provides funding for prescription drug coverage for low-income seniors.
Tobacco related illness costs the State of Montana $440 million a year and it is past time that Big Tobacco pays for the deadly consequences of its products. I-185 pays for itself, will save the state money, and is a life line to rural hospitals and clinics. One hundred thousand Montanans are counting on us to pass I-185 so they can keep their Medicaid coverage.
For I-185 endorsements, click HERE.
Vote YES on LR-128
The Montana Human Rights Network SUPPORTS LR-128
Vote YES on LR-128
The 6-Mill Levy
LR-128 asks Montana voters to continue the existing 6-mill levy to support Montana’s public colleges and universities. The 6-mill levy is not a new tax, but a continued property tax levied on real estate and personal property that has been in place since 1948. The 6-Mill has received voter support every decade for the last 70 years. The levy provides support, maintenance, and improvement of Montana universities and colleges. The revenue goes directly to Montana’s public colleges and universities through Montana’s Board of Regents.
We need to continue to support our Montana University System. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy and one of the best drivers of our economy and future workforce. Current and future public university students are counting on us to vote yes on LR-128!
For LR-128 endorsements, click HERE.
Vote NO on LR-129
The Montana Human Rights Network OPPOSES LR-129
Vote NO on LR-129
Prohibition on ballot collection
LR-129 would make it illegal for a person to pick up another person’s ballot and deliver it to the proper voting location. Violating the measure would be punishable by a fine of $500 for each ballot collected. The measure would become effective on the day it is approved by voters. There are some exceptions where people can turn in another person’s ballot – an election judge, postal worker, family or household member, caregiver, or someone known to the individual. Except for election judges and postal workers, people with special exceptions can turn in no more than 6 ballots and theysign a registry when they deliver the ballot. Our voting system works well and we don’t need to make changes that make it harder for individuals to cast their ballot. The administrative burden for county election offices is significant which is why Montana Association of Clerks and Recorders opposed this measure. Voting is a right and we should be working on making it easier to cast a ballot, not more difficult. Vote no on LR-129.
No Position on I-186
The Montana Human Rights Network does not have an official position on I-186I-186 would require the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to deny permits for any new hard rock mines if the mine’s reclamation plan does not “contain measures sufficient to prevent the pollution of water without the need for perpetual treatment.” In mining, reclamation plans are plans to rehabilitate and restore land that has been used for mining.
If approved, the measure would become effective immediately and mean hard rock mining companies must show they can prevent water pollution without having to perpetually treat affected water.
Supporters of I-186 include:
The Park County Environmental Council, Trout Unlimited, Our Revolution, MontPIRG, Montana Environmental Information Center
Opponents of I-186 include:
Montana Mining Association, Sandfire America, Montana Resources LLP, Golden Sunlight Mines, Inc.