HD 15 boundary changes challenged candidates
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POLSON — The latest legislative redistricting plan, which included 100 house districts and 50 senate districts, was adopted by the Montana Legislature on Feb. 2, 2013. According to the 1972 Constitution, Montana’s legislative districts must be “as nearly equal in population as practicable.”
The 2010 United States Census found Montana has a population of 989,415. The Montana Legislature currently has 100 representatives, which means each of 100 House Districts should have approximately 9,984 people. Each of the 50 Senate Districts should contain approximately 19,788 people.
According to the Montana Secretary of State’s website, “Montana is one of only a few states that use a citizen commission to perform the redistricting function.” That’s the Montana Redistricting and Apportionment Commission and its job is to adjust congressional and legislative districts after each census.
One of the many districts impacted was House District 15, which stretches through four counties — Lake, Flathead, Glacier and Pondera — from St. Ignatius to Heart Butte.
During the primary election, Eldena Bear Don’t Walk and George G. Kipp III ran against each other, with Kipp winning. There was no Republican challenger.
However, Joe Read was interested in running in the general election for HD 15 as a Constitution party candidate. The Montana Secretary of State required that candidates from minor parties, such as Independent, Libertarian and Constitution parties, submit signed petitions by May 27. The petition required 129 valid signatures to get on the general election ballot.
“My wife and I went house to house inside the district and got 160 petition signatures,” Read said.
He turned the petition in on 9 a.m. May 27 and received a call from the Lake County Election office the he had enough signatures to qualify. Then three days later, he received a letter from the election office that at least 20 of the signatures were outside his district.
Read acquired a list of the signatures that were supposedly outside his district and used the Montana Secretary of State’s website to check each address. He found out of 130 signatures, there was an error of 17 in his favor, including some that were “deeply inside my district,” Read said. “The qualifying issue of where you vote is your house of residence, not where your work or where you get your mail.”
AfterLake County commissioners, election officials and an attorney met, Read received a call from Commissioner Bill Barron telling Read he was a candidate for HD 15 in November.
Read said he doesn’t think there’s collusion or conspiracy.
However, the district does cross the continental divide, encompass pieces of four different counties and two Indian reservations, which makes for many miles to cover for campaigners.
