Importance of the Race for Montana Secretary of State

We're always encouraging voters to know who they're voting for. 

Recently we took a look at the race for Secretary of State - a position that is not only important because it is a seat on the state Land Board - but also because the office has jurisdiction over voting law and procedure in Montana.  "Voters" is part of our name and we take the issue seriously.  Voting rights is a major focus of our Helena lobbying efforts and Montana has managed to make some great strides to increase voter participation since the 2005 session.

We've created a factsheet that takes a look at incumbent Secretary of State Brad Johnson (R).  It underscores the need to elect our MCV-endorsed candidate, Linda McCulloch (D). 

Have a look below or download the file to inform your friends.

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Montana needs a Secretary of State who will take his responsibility as a member of the State Land Board seriously!

Brad Johnson missed more than one of every seven meetings of the state Land Board - as many as all the other four Land Board members combined!

The Land Board decides the future of Montana's 5.2 million acres of public trust lands - we need a Secretary of State who takes this responsibility seriously.

Brad Johnson gave Montana voters inaccurate information!

He failed to notify Montanans of the 30-day late registration opportunity as late as September 2006, less than two months before the 2006 election. As a result, many voters waited for hours in long lines on Election Day.

In 2007, he failed to provide information to inactive voters about how to reactivate their voter registration, in cities and towns using all-mailed ballots, resulting in thousands not getting ballots, and not being able to vote.

Many voters continue to receive incorrect, out-of-date, or incomplete election information.

Let's have a Secretary of State - Montana's Election Administrator - who will make it easier to vote, not harder!

Secretary of State Brad Johnson supported efforts to end Election Day registration of voters.¹

Election Day registration allowed almost 4,000 Montana residents to vote in 2006 - and many more since - and contributed to higher voter turnout. Ending Election Day registration would eliminate the ability of many Montana residents to vote.

Brad Johnson denied the elderly and people with disabilities access to Federally-required voting systems.

He failed to ensure that local election officials set up and used machines - required by federal law - to allow the elderly and disabled to vote.²

1 HB 281, 2007 session ^{2 Source: Montana Legislative Audit, Aug. 2007}

Montana needs a Secretary of State who will:

§ Regularly attend the monthly Land Board meetings and make conservation a high priority;

§ Support Election Day registration for Montana residents;

§ Support making voting more accessible and more efficient for Montana voters;

§ Demand accurate and complete election information at the county and state levels;

§ Insist that the machines required at each polling place to allow people with disabilities to vote are unpacked, tested, and used;

§ Develop a plan for long-term funding of election responsibilities at the state and federal level.

- Call for new leadership in our Secretary of State's office -

Vote Linda McCulloch for Montana Secretary of State.

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