Montana lawmakers are considering banning a way of running elections known as ranked choice voting.

Under this election system, people rank their top choices in order preference - and as candidates no longer become viable based on the number of votes, voters' next option is counted.

Will Mantell, press secretary with FairVote, said ranked choice voting has benefits - such as for local, nonpartisan elections. He said these elections often are done in two rounds, with the two highest vote getters from round one running off in round two.

Mantell noted that the first round of elections usually has low turnout, forcing cities or counties to pay for two elections.

"With ranked choice voting," said Mantell, "you can do that all in one election with a 'instant runoff' that identifies a majority winner in a crowded field."

Opponents of ranked choice voting say they make elections less transparent and can lead to ballot exhaustion, which occurs when all of the candidates marked on the ballot are no longer in the contest.

Ranked choice voting is used in local elections across the country, and statewide in Alaska and Maine. A hearing is scheduled for the bill today.

Mantell said ranked choice voting is still a novel concept in Montana.

"It's important to note there are no Montana cities that are actually using ranked choice voting at this point," said Mantell. "So I'm not sure why the state would want to preemptively take this option away from cities if it's something that they want to try."

A similar measure has been introduced in the Idaho Legislature.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

New York City election integrity is under added scrutiny after Mayor Eric Adams' indictment.

Part of the indictment alleges Adams broke campaign finance laws during his 2021 mayoral bid. But some groups advocating for good government feel there is not much cause for concern.

Rachael Fauss, senior policy analyst for the group Reinvent Albany, noted the charges against Adams mean the enforcement mechanism works in New York's public matching program for political campaign funds. She said the city's Campaign Finance Board flags any suspicious patterns of contributions.

"There's a whole filing and disclosure process that candidates have to go through," Fauss explained. "By vetting those filings, the Campaign Finance Board can find where they think there are violations and, in this case, it ended up going through to the Southern District and an indictment resulted from this."

With the mayoral election next year, and Adams vehemently aiming for a second term, Fauss pointed out there are ways to bolster election integrity. One recommendation is for the Campaign Finance Board to hold campaign audits closer to elections, which could boost confidence in the process. Fauss also feels the language should be clearer on campaign contribution disclosures about the penalties a person can face.

The Campaign Finance Board is considering new rules about when to withhold matching funds from a campaign. The rules would also examine when expenses are truly independent. Fauss thinks now is not the time to make big changes, although she added they would have value in future elections.

"Their new regulations should help with enforcement. Speeding up the process for the audits I think will help give more confidence that the system is working as it should," Fauss outlined. "But you know, of course, we're in the middle of a presidential election right now, so we have other things on our minds, but the mayoral election will be here shortly in 2025."

She adds the Campaign Finance Board provides transparency about how campaigns get money. The challenge ahead is ensuring people understand what the board's data mean in terms of election integrity.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

In-person early voting begins next week in Wisconsin, which will again be in the spotlight when election results come into focus.

Officials said being an informed voter can make the next several weeks less stressful for everyone. On the campaign trail, Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump continues to spread false claims tied to the 2020 election. Analysts said it is why 2024 results in swing states like Wisconsin will likely be scrutinized.

Kate Martin, city clerk in Menomonie, said they remain undeterred and are ready to oversee a free and fair election. Martin stressed a "thinking-ahead" approach by voters would be helpful for her staff.

"The less work that they have to do in order to help voters get through that process on Election Day, the better and the least frustrating it is for voters themselves," Martin explained.

To free up more time for poll workers, Martin emphasized preparation, by having required documentation on hand, including a valid ID for casting a ballot. Other proof-of-address documents, like a billing statement, can be used for registration. In general, she noted voting early helps make Election Day smoother. Tomorrow is the last day in Wisconsin to register to vote, by mail or online.

Amid ongoing divisions about election integrity, a new national report from the Movement Advancement Project outlined what happens after polls close.

Brian Hinkle, senior voting policy researcher for the project, said while there are timeline variations, all states generally take the same careful steps before results are certified.

"For many voters, they cast a ballot and that feels like the end of the process," Hinkle observed. "But in reality, that's the first step in a deliberate, specific and careful process to get the final election results."

On election night or the days after, the public gets a look at unofficial results submitted in each state. Then there are actions like canvassing to ensure the ballots cast are accurate, along with postelection audits to confirm the accuracy of results and check for errors.

After the 2020 presidential election fallout, Congress adopted new safeguards for the Electoral College counting process. Meanwhile, Hinkle pointed out Wisconsin is among only a handful of states to still not allow absentee or mail-in ballots to be processed before Election Day.

"Due to that policy or lack thereof in Wisconsin, I think we'll potentially see some delays in the counting of mail ballots and therefore, delays in unofficial results in the state this year," Hinkle projected.

He added it could potentially make Wisconsin again vulnerable to misinformation about the results.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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With just three weeks until Election Day, Indiana's race for governor is heating up as Republican Mike Braun and Democrat Jennifer McCormick vie for the state's top office.

Both candidates have previously switched political parties, bringing a unique dynamic to the race. McCormick, who served as Indiana's Superintendent of Public Instruction, switched from Republican to Democrat, citing a shift to the right within the GOP. Braun, a former Democrat, is now running as a Republican, emphasizing a focus on conservative principles and economic growth.

Robin Winston, a political analyst and president of the Indianapolis-based Winston Terrell Group, noted McCormick's decision reflects her concerns over the state's political direction.

"The superintendent ran as a Democrat because she basically had felt that her party was moving too far to the right, pushing some extreme issues that she did not think were in sync with most people in Indiana," Winston explained.

Republicans argued their supermajority reflects widespread voter support for their platform. Braun's campaign has pushed back against claims political diversity is lacking, suggesting their stronghold allows for decisive governance aligning with Hoosier values.

Winston, whose firm does government relations, public affairs and community outreach, is concerned about the state's Republican supermajority, which he believes limits democratic engagement and political diversity.

"I don't think it's healthy for a democracy to have one party with an iron clad rule," Winston asserted. "It stymies creativity in trying to move your state forward. It eliminates the opportunity for an entire cadre of young people, particularly, to become involved in government."

Despite the criticism, Republicans argued their dominance has enabled consistent policymaking. The gubernatorial race underscores debates over personal freedoms, LGBTQ+ rights and women's reproductive rights. Winston noted such issues have become increasingly polarized compared to former Gov. Daniels' era, which emphasized economic priorities.


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