Initiative or referendum for the ballot – Signatures must be obtained from 5 percent of the total number of qualified voters in Montana (based on the number of votes cast for the office of governor in the last general election), including 5 percent of the voters in each of 34 legislative house districts.
Constitutional amendment by initiative – Signatures must be obtained from 10 percent of the total number of qualified voters in Montana (based on the number of votes cast for the office of governor in the last general election), including 10 percent of the voters in each of 40 legislative house districts.
If you observe and have concerns about questionable signature gathering, you may file a complaint with the Secretary of State, who will forward each complaint to the appropriate county official. See signature gathering here.
The 2014 Voter Information Pamphlet (VIP) is available online at the following link: 2014 Voter Information Pamphlet.
The following issues were referred to the voters by the 2013 Legislature and were scheduled to appear on the November 4, 2014 general election ballot:
C-45 (HB 79)
Subject: Constitutional amendment to rename the State Auditor.
Type: Constitutional Amendment
Status: REJECTED BY VOTERS. Legislature referred HB 79 to the 2014 General Election Ballot.
LR-126 (SB 405)
Subject: Referendum to revise close of late voter registration.
Type: Legislative Referendum
Status: REJECTED BY VOTERS. Legislature referred SB 405 to the 2014 General Election Ballot.
The following issue was referred to the voters by the 2013 Legislature, but the MT Supreme Court enjoined the Secretary of State from placing it on the November 4, 2014 general election ballot:
LR-127 (SB 408)
Subject: Referendum to provide top two primary in certain elections.
Type: Legislative Referendum
Status: Legislature referred SB 408 to the 2014 General Election Ballot; MT Supreme Court has enjoined the Secretary of State from placing it on the ballot.
Please Note: Ballot issue numbers listed below are assigned by the order in which they were received at the Office of the Montana Secretary of State. They do not reflect a ranking or how the initiative would be numbered if it were placed on the ballot.
The following are citizen proposals for statewide ballot initiatives for the November 4, 2014, general election ballot that were submitted to the Secretary of State. None of the proposed ballot initiatives had sufficient signatures filed by the July 18, 2014 deadline:
Ballot Issue #1 CI-111
Subject: Establish a right for adults to purchase, produce and consume marijuana without criminal penalties.
Contact Person: Chris Lindsey
Sponsor: Barb Trego
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS: November 16, 2012
Status: Insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 2 of 48,349 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 40 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #2
Subject: Allow for payments as compensation for a certain defective dental procedure.
Contact Person: David Anthony Fallon
Sponsor: David Anthony Fallon
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: December 18, 2012
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services Division.
Next Step: Sponsor did not respond to Legislative Services.
Ballot Issue #3
Subject: Establish a right to natural foods, medicines, waters and soils.
Contact Person: Michael Hyde
Sponsor: Michael Hyde
Type: Constitutional amendment by initiative
Received by SOS: May 28, 2013
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services Division.
Next Step: Sponsor did not respond to Legislative Services.
Ballot Issue #4 I-167
Subject: Prohibit trapping of certain animals by private individuals on any public lands within the state of Montana.
Contact Person: Timothy Provow
Sponsor: Timothy Provow
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: June 3, 2013
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of September 6, 2013; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 2 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 34 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #5
Subject: Require the identification of political advertisements with the origin of financial support.
Contact Person: Brian Leland
Sponsor: Brian Leland
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: June 12, 2013
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services Division.
Next Step: Sponsor did not respond to Legislative Services.
Ballot Issue #6 I-168
Subject: Require reporting and disclosure by all persons and entities engaging in political activity.
Contact Person: Jim Peterson
Sponsor: Jim Peterson
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: July 11, 2013
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of October 7, 2013; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 3 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 34 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #7 CI-112
Subject: Reserve to the people the power to amend or repeal laws passed by initiative.
Sponsor: Michelle Hutsell, Montana Coalition for Rights
Contact Person: Nathan Pierce, Montana Coalition for Rights
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS: July 25, 2013
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of September 17, 2013; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 329 of 48,349 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 40 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #8 CI-114
Subject: Require that the legislature be composed of fifty percent men and fifty percent women.
Sponsor: John Marshall
Contact Person: John Marshall
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS: November 5, 2013
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of March 4, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 0 of 48,349 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 40 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #9 I-169
Subject: Prohibit trapping of certain animals by private individuals on any public lands within the state of Montana.
Sponsor: K.C. York
Contact Person: K.C. York
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: November 19, 2013
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of February 12, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 8,887 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 8 of 34 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #10
Subject: Increase access to Montana’s Medicaid program for uninsured, low-income adults.
Sponsor: Kim Abbott
Contact Person: Kim Abbott
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: November 21, 2013
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor. Resubmitted as Ballot Issue #12.
Ballot Issue #11 CI-113
Subject: Prohibit warrantless searches of digital communications and prohibit general warrants.
Sponsor: John Bohlinger
Contact Person: John Bohlinger
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS: December 10, 2013
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of February 21, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 0 of 48,349 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 40 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #12
Subject: Increase access to Montana’s Medicaid program for uninsured, low-income adults.
Sponsor: Kim Abbott
Contact Person: Kim Abbott
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: December 13, 2013
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor. Resubmitted as Ballot Issue #14.
Ballot Issue #13 I-171
Subject: Prohibit the use of Montana resources to administer and enforce the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Sponsor: Matthew Monforton
Contact Person: Matthew Monforton
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: December 18, 2013
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of March 10, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 2 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 34 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #14 I-170
Subject: Increase access to Montana’s Medicaid program for uninsured, low-income adults.
Sponsor: Kim Abbott
Contact Person: Kim Abbott
Received by SOS: January 22, 2014
Type: Statutory initiative
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of March 10, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 382 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 34 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #15 I-173
Subject: Require holding special elections to fill vacancies for the office of United States Senator.
Sponsor: Jim Brown
Contact Person: Jim Brown
Received by SOS: March 4, 2014
Type: Statutory initiative
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of May 14, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 0 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 0 of 34 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #16 I-172
Subject: Reclassify cable companies’ property tax valuations.
Sponsor: Christopher Fulton
Contact Person: Jessie Luther
Received by SOS: March 7, 2014
Type: Statutory initiative
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of May 6, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 7,492 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 8 of 34 legislative districts needed.
Ballot Issue #17
Subject: Require that drugs that are illegal under federal law are illegal under Montana law.
Sponsor: Steve Zabawa
Contact Person: Steve Zabawa
Received by SOS: April 17, 2014
Type: Statutory initiative
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services Division; proposal determined to be not in compliance with bill drafting requirements. Resubmitted as Ballot Issue #18.
Ballot Issue #18 I-174
Subject: Require that drugs that are illegal under federal law are illegal under Montana law.
Sponsor: Steve Zabawa
Contact Person: Steve Zabawa
Received by SOS: May 8, 2014
Type: Statutory initiative
Status: Petition was approved for signature gathering as of May 29, 2014; insufficient signatures filed by the deadline.
Final total of signatures received and tallied by SOS: 3,659 of 24,175 total signatures needed; qualified in 2 of 34 legislative districts needed.