VOTER GUIDE 2016 MONTANA WOMEN VOTE FREQUENTLY ASKED works to register and engage QUESTIONS ABOUT VOTING women at all levels of our democracy, including by casting CAN SOMEONE HELP ME WHEN I GO TO VOTE? their vote at the ballot box. Yes, you can bring a friend, relative, teacher, or parent, and can bring in notes, a voter guide, etc. You just can’t bring an employer. Montana Women Vote is a non-profit, Don’t forget, you are allowed to bring your kids to the polls! non-partisan organization that doesn’t support or DO I NEED MY VOTER REGISTRATION CARD IN ORDER TO VOTE? endorse political candidates. This guide provides No. However, you do need a form of ID and your voter registration the tools you need to make informed decisions card is one form of ID that you can use. Other IDs that you can use about candidates, ballot measures, and other include any current photo ID that shows your name (valid driver’s public policy proposals. license, school ID, state ID, or tribal ID) or a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that shows your name and current address. ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, DO I HAVE TO VOTE FOR EVERY ITEM ON THE BALLOT? NOVEMBER 8TH AND POLLS No. You can choose not to vote for a candidate position or an initiative. Your ballot will still be valid even if you leave an item blank. ARE OPEN FROM 7AM UNTIL 8PM. HOW DO I FIND OUT WHERE TO GO TO VOTE OR WHAT GET MORE INFO: You can check to see if you are PRECINCT, DISTRICTS AND WARDS I AM VOTING FOR? registered, where you are registered, view a sample ballot, That information is on your voter registration card. If you do not and track your absentee ballot at the Secretary of State’s have your card, you can call your local elections office for that website: https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/ or by calling your information or check out the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page: local elections office. https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/. VOTE ABSENTEE: If you have not signed up for an absentee ballot, but would like to vote early, you can do so IMPORTANT DATES in person at your local elections office. Please note: If you are voting absentee remember that you OCTOBER 11TH need to vote the ballot that was mailed to you and that you Close of regular voter registration. Absentee ballots are will not be able to vote at the polls unless you bring your mailed October 14th. absentee ballot with you. If you lose your absentee ballot, OCTOBER 12TH you can get a replacement ballot at your County Elections Same-day voter registration opens; you must go to your Office or you can vote provisionally at your local polling county elections office to vote. place on Election Day. VOTE EARLY: If you have not signed up for an absentee MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH FROM NOON - 5PM ballot, but would like to vote early, you can do so in-person Your local Elections Office is closed in preparation for at your local elections office. When you sign up for Election Day. an absentee ballot between October 12th and November NOVEMBER 8TH: GENERAL ELECTION DAY! 7th at noon, you can register and vote at the same time. Most polls are open from 7am-8pm. If you have been issued Please note that some offices use an alternative location to an absentee ballot and not mailed it back yet, you will need do late and same-day voter registration and you should call to hand-deliver it to your County Elections Office or to any your local office to double check the location. polling location. The 2016 Voter Guide is also available online: www.montanawomenvote.org STATEWIDE RACES STATEWIDE RACES US REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNOR SECRETARY OF STATE Heads the state executive branch. The Governor proposes ATTORNEY GENERAL Represents Montana in the US House of Representatives in Montana’s Chief Elections Officer who also oversees a state budget, appoints executive level staff that head The state’s chief legal and law enforcement officer, Washington, D.C. many of the business licenses issued by the state. different departments, and has the ability to veto bills the AG heads up the Department of Justice. It is the role of government to make sure that safety net passed by the State Legislature. Will you uphold state laws that allow Montanans to programs are in place so those most in need don’t fall Racial and ethnic minorities, especially Native Americans, Do you support equality for all families, use multiple forms of ID at the polls, including but not Qthrough the cracks. Q Q are disproportionately represented in Montana’s prison Q including access to jobs, housing, and services limited to voter registration cards and student IDs? system. Do you support or oppose legislative efforts to stop DENISE JUNEAU (D) *AGREE DISAGREE without discrimination? MONICA LINDEEN (D) YES NO racial profiling by the police and the courts? RYAN ZINKE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND STEVE BULLOCK (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE COREY STAPLETON (R ) DID NOT RESPOND LARRY JENT (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE RICK BRECKENRIDGE (L) *AGREE DISAGREE GREG GIANFORTE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND TIM FOX (R) DID NOT RESPOND TED DUNLAP (L) SUPPORT OPPOSE ROGER ROOTS (L) YES NO Do you support or oppose services and programs that Q give women access to health care, including comprehensive Do you support or oppose statewide measures to Do you support or oppose laws expanding access to Do you support increasing state funding for domes- reproductive health care, regardless of ability to pay? create paid family and medical leave and paid sick days registration and voting such as online voter registration? Q tic and sexual violence intervention and prevention, Q Q including an increased focus on the issue of violence against DENISE JUNEAU (D) *SUPPORT OPPOSE so workers don’t have to choose between taking care of MONICA LINDEEN (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE themselves or their families and their job security? Native women and other marginalized groups? RYAN ZINKE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND COREY STAPLETON (R ) DID NOT RESPOND STEVE BULLOCK (D) *SUPPORT OPPOSE ROGER ROOTS (L) SUPPORT OPPOSE LARRY JENT (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE RICK BRECKENRIDGE (L) *SUPPORT OPPOSE GREG GIANFORTE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND TIM FOX (R) DID NOT RESPOND TED DUNLAP (L) SUPPORT *OPPOSE Do you agree or disagree with the implementation of Do you support equality for all families- including satellite voting offices in reservation counties? As Attorney General, would you support alternative the right to marry, raise children, and access jobs and Do you agree or disagree that Montana should raise Q Q MONICA LINDEEN (D) AGREE DISAGREE approaches to our criminal justice system including but housing without discrimination? revenue by closing tax loopholes and ensuring that Q Q COREY STAPLETON (R ) DID NOT RESPOND not limited to investment in mental health care and drug everyone is paying their fair share in order to fully invest in DENISE JUNEAU (D) *YES NO treatment? communities and infrastructure? ROGER ROOTS (L) AGREE *DISAGREE RYAN ZINKE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND STEVE BULLOCK (D) *AGREE DISAGREE LARRY JENT (D) YES NO RICK BRECKENRIDGE (L) *YES NO GREG GIANFORTE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND STATE AUDITOR TIM FOX (R) DID NOT RESPOND TED DUNLAP (L) AGREE *DISAGREE Also known as the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, protects Montana consumers through insurance and MONTANA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE securities regulation. The Montana Supreme Court is the highest court in the state, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONERS SUPERINTENDENT OF with one Chief Justice and six Justices. Decisions made by the Regulate utilities in Montana. The state is divided into five As auditor, will you pursue legislation to improve state PUBLIC INSTRUCTION PSC districts. Court affect Montana law. Q oversight of insurance rates and administrative costs, in The head of public K-12 education in Montana. order to hold insurance companies accountable to those who Do you support or oppose expanding programs that Do you support increasing access to justice by continuing buy their services? Do you support age-appropriate, comprehensive sex provide aid to low-income families who cannot afford to funding for the self-help law program in the Department Q education, which includes information about abstinence Q pay utility bills? JESSE LASLOVICH (D) DID NOT RESPOND* Q of Justice budget? and contraception, in Montana schools? PSC #3: PAT NOONAN (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE MATT ROSENDALE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND KRISTEN JURAS YES NO MELISSA ROMANO (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE PSC #3: ROGER KOOPMAN (R) DID NOT RESPOND* Do you support or oppose refusal clauses (ie. religious ELSIE ARNTZEN (R ) *DID NOT RESPOND DIRK SANDEFUR *YES NO PSC #3: CARON COOPER (I) DID NOT RESPOND Q exemptions) that allow employers or businesses to refuse to provide birth control and other preventative health Will you support legislative efforts to fully fund Indian Do you support increasing state funding for domestic PSC #4 : GAIL GUTSCHE (D) *SUPPORT OPPOSE care services to employees/patients? Education for All? and sexual violence intervention and prevention, includ- PSC #4: BOB LAKE (R) *SUPPORT OPPOSE Q Q JESSE LASLOVICH (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE MELISSA ROMANO (D) YES NO ing an increased focus on the issue of violence against Native Do you support increasing state funding for domestic MATT ROSENDALE (R ) DID NOT RESPOND women and other marginalized groups? Q and sexual violence intervention and prevention, includ- ELSIE ARNTZEN (R) *DID NOT RESPOND KRISTEN JURAS SUPPORT OPPOSE ing an increased focus on the issue of violence against Native Would you support or oppose a policy or initiative to divert DIRK SANDEFUR *SUPPORT OPPOSE women and other marginalized groups? Qstate education dollars from local public schools to private PSC #3: PAT NOONAN (D) YES NO schools including religious schools? (D) Democrat (R) Republican (I) Independent (L) Libertarian PSC #3: ROGER KOOPMAN (R) *DID NOT RESPOND THE CANDIDATE IN MELISSA ROMANO (D) SUPPORT OPPOSE PSC #3: CARON COOPER (I) DID NOT RESPOND ELSIE ARNTZEN (R) *DID NOT RESPOND Ballot issues appear at the very end of your ballot, but will still MY DISTRICT DIDN’T RESPOND: have a direct impact on the lives of women and families in PSC #4 : GAIL GUTSCHE (D) YES NO Montana.