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Montana Faces Controversy Over Kamala Harris Ballot Omission and Voting System Glitches


Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen

Newsroom (CUBNSC) Helena Montana- "Montana Faces Controversy Over Kamala Harris Ballot Omission and Voting System Glitches"


This weekend Montana experienced a political stir when the state’s electronic absentee voting system for overseas voters failed to include Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on the ballot. The oversight was noticed by Max Himsl, a Montana resident living in the United Kingdom, when he accessed his absentee ballot online. Himsl found that only Republican candidate Donald Trump and Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were listed.


The incident occurred just as Montana’s Electronic Absentee System went live September 20th, allowing eligible voters overseas, including military members, to cast their ballots 45 days ahead of the November 5th election. While the online system is designed to facilitate voting for residents abroad, the omission of a major candidate raised immediate concerns. Upon Discovery by an overseas Montana voter; the issue was sent to the Flathead County Election Department, which quickly escalated the matter to the Montana Secretary of State’s Office.


In response, the Montana Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that the error was confined to the electronic voting system and did not affect traditional mail-in ballots. “Our team and the vendor promptly investigated, and we found that only a small number of voters were potentially affected,” the office stated. As a precaution, the system was taken offline for troubleshooting and was expected to be restored later that day.


While the issue was resolved promptly, it underscored concerns about Montana's election administration, particularly in light of recent legal and political battles over the state’s election laws and districting maps. The state has faced criticism for policies that some argue disproportionately affect Democratic and minority voters.


Montana’s Political Landscape and Gerrymandering Accusations


Billings Montana View

Montana’s political divisions have been exacerbated by accusations of gerrymandering, particularly with the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) districts. A lawsuit was filed challenging the Legislature’s redistricting efforts, claiming that the new PSC map was drawn to ensure a Republican advantage. Critics argue that Montana’s political makeup—where 40-45% of voters regularly support Democratic and third-party candidates—has been undermined by strategic line-drawing that dilutes non-Republican voting power.


In March 2022, a judicial panel ordered a specific map be used for the PSC election after the previous map was declared unconstitutional due to excessive population deviations between districts. The current lawsuit, spearheaded by political and conservation groups, contends that the new map continues to disenfranchise non-Republican voters by spreading them thinly across districts.


Whitney Tawney, Executive Director of Montana Conservation Voters, emphasized the importance of fair representation. "Fair and competitive elections result in better representation for all Montanans and hold officials accountable. This is especially crucial for the Public Service Commission, which sets utility rates impacting everyone."


Legal Challenges to Montana’s Election Laws


Adding to the complexity, Montana has also been embroiled in legal challenges over its election laws. Earlier this year, a lawsuit was filed by political and human rights organizations against Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, challenging several election laws as unconstitutional. These laws, which included restrictions on absentee voting and changes to voter ID requirements, were deemed by critics as attempts to suppress voter turnout.


In a significant ruling, the Montana Supreme Court found that the challenged statutes either unlawfully interfered with or excessively burdened the right to vote. The court ruled that the laws were not the least restrictive means to achieve a compelling state interest and struck them down. The Secretary of State’s argument that the laws were necessary for election integrity and administrative efficiency was rejected by the court, which underscored the fundamental right to vote as protected under Montana's Constitution.


As Montana continues to grapple with these legal and administrative challenges, the recent ballot glitch adds another layer to an already contentious election landscape. Though the online voting issue was resolved, it highlights the broader concerns about election integrity, fairness, and representation in the state.


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Montana Faces Controversy Over Kamala Harris Ballot Omission and Voting System Glitches

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