MCV's Results

1. MCV is the only Montana conservation group organized to recruit, elect, and hold accountable candidates who will stand up for the environment. MCV works to elect policy makers so other groups can better achieve their policy goals.
2. MCV helps elect conservationists to the State Legislature. Since it began in 1999, MCV has helped elect dozens of conservationists to the Montana legislature, many of whom defeated incumbents with poor conservation records. The legislature is voting with the environmental community more now than at any time in the last decade, backing bills that protect Montana’s air, land and water, and defeating damaging rollbacks of existing safeguards. In 1999, the legislature voted on average 43% of the time with the environmental community. Today that average has elevated to 53%, even with very conservative House leadership in 2007. 
3. MCV participated in shifting the balance of power in Congress towards a conservation majority by helping propel Jon Tester to victory in the U.S. Senate. MCV also has helped elect Governor Brian Schweitzer, Supreme Court Justice Jim Nelson, Public Service Commissioner Ken Toole and many statewide candidates, by presenting voters with information about the differences between candidates.
4. MCV holds elected officials accountable, using its popular State Legislative Scorecard, Congressional Watch e-newsletter, and Land Board publication. MCV’s website and media program gets the word out about the latest developments in conservation and politics.  
5. MCV helps elect city and county officials, where many people get their start as elected officials making decisions about how our communities grow and develop. In the 2005 city elections, MCV helped shift the Whitefish, Missoula, Helena and Bozeman city councils to a conservation majority, and helped make conservation gains in Billings and Kalispell.
6. MCV brings groups together to pass good legislation for the environment, and defeat bills that threaten our constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment.  MCV coordinates lobbying with groups, publishes a well-respected weekly Legislative Hotlist, and contacted over 7,500 constituents in the 2007 session urging them to call their legislators on key water protection and renewable energy bills. 
7. MCV works with groups to pass good ballot measures, and defeat those that threaten the environment, like the I-147 proposal to repeal Montana’s ban on cyanide leach mines. MCV calls and visits thousands of voters to give them solid information about how to make their vote count for conservation.
8. MCV does polling and public interest research for the benefit of groups, working with their leaders to shape a compelling message on conservation and the environment – one that speaks to the hearts and minds of voters concerned with keeping Montana the “last, best place”. 
9. MCV uses state–of-the-art voter contact strategies like “Vote by Mail” applications and election-day registration programs.  Its cutting edge List Enhancement Project marshals the collective strength of the conservation community and its thousands of grassroots members throughout the state.
10. MCV has a democratic, grassroots chapter structure, committed and diverse leaders, and a talented, professional staff with roots in Billings, Bozeman, the Flathead and Missoula.

Why give to Montana Conservation Voters?  Montana needs more conservation leaders in the state and national legislatures, city hall, the courthouse and the statehouse to return control of our future to the people, not polluters. 

Your contribution to MCV supports the work that is necessary to elect conservation legislators and build political leadership to work for the environment.