Montana Voters Face Ballot Initiative to Ban Corporate Election Spending
Montana voters will decide on a ballot measure that would forbid corporations from spending money in state elections.
Former Senator Jon Tester outlines a new ballot initiative, the “Montana Plan,” that would prohibit any corporate spending on elections within the state. The measure rests on the argument that states can define corporate powers and are not obligated to grant election-spending rights, a stance that sidesteps the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Modeled after a Center for American Progress proposal, the plan has already inspired similar laws in Hawaii and prompted legislative interest in nineteen other states.
Should voters approve it on Nov. 3, the ban would become law on Jan. 1, covering all corporations, unions, and nonprofits regardless of origin. Tester cites Montana’s 1912 Corrupt Practices Act as historical precedent for curbing corporate influence. The initiative aims to restore the balance of political speech without infringing on individual First Amendment rights.
Why it matters
A successful ban could dramatically limit corporate influence on state elections, reshaping campaign finance norms.
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