Sponsors Say Proposed Political Spending Initiative on Track to Make Ballot
Supporters said the measure needs 30,121 signatures to reach the ballot and would curb secretive corporate spending in Montana elections.
- On Tuesday, Jeff Mangan's Transparent Election Initiative submitted nearly 50,000 signatures to qualify Initiative 194, known as the Montana Plan, for November's ballot.
- The measure seeks to circumvent the federal Citizens United decision by redefining 'artificial persons' to exclude political spending in Montana elections.
- Election officials have already accepted more than 39,000 signatures, surpassing the 30,121 required minimum, with about 500 volunteers conducting the signature-gathering effort.
- The Montana Chamber released an open letter this week opposing the plan, arguing it would silence local businesses while failing to stop out-of-state billionaire spending.
- Supporters must submit signatures before the Friday deadline, though the statutory initiative could face legislative changes or repeal if passed by the Montana Legislature.
20 Articles
20 Articles
‘The Montana Plan’ Appears Set to Qualify for November’s Ballot
A ballot initiative that has been heralded as a novel approach to getting dark money out of elections announced Tuesday it expects to make it onto November’s ballot after handing over nearly 50,000 signatures ahead of Friday’s deadline for petition signatures to be submitted to county election administrators. To qualify, it needed 30,121. That initiative, I-194, or “The Montana Plan,” aims to limit business entities in the state from contributin…
ABC FOX Montana
KULR-TVInitiative 194 gains 50K signatures to ban corporate election spending in Montana
BILLINGS, Mont. — A ballot measure that would block corporations from spending money in Montana elections moved closer to the November ballot after supporters said they collected enough signatures to qualify.
Letter to the editor: Dark money in pro-transparency campaign?
As the political season heats up with the final sprint to the General Election in November, a part of that process is the signature gathering to put I-194 on the ballot. Known as the Montana Plan. This initiative is designed…
The Billings Gazette
Missoulian'Montana Plan' clears signature hurdle ahead of Friday deadline, campaign says
The proposal has already navigated several legal challenges and revisions to its approach, but has generated a lot of energy in this midterm election year.
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Montana Plan gathers 50,000 signatures, qualifies for ballot
The Transparent Election Initiative announces that Montana ballot initiative I-194, also known as The Montana Plan, has submitted nearly 50,000 signatures from all 56 house districts to qualify for the November ballot.
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