Friends,
The primary election is Tuesday, June 2. This week, I want to make sure every neighbor has the practical information to cast a ballot that counts, along with a few notes on the work between legislative sessions.
How to vote
- Election Day is Tuesday, June 2. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Bring a photo ID that shows your name and current address.
- Montana holds open primaries. You'll receive three party ballots: Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican. You may vote only one of them. If you mark more than one, all of your ballots will be rejected. Vote a single ballot and discard the others.
- Voting absentee? It is too late to mail your ballot. It must be received by the Carbon County Elections Office by 8 p.m. on June 2. A postmark is not enough. If you still have it, take it to the Carbon County Elections Office or to your local polling place on Election Day. On the return envelope, sign and write your birth year (look for the two red arrows). A missing signature or birth year is the single most common reason a ballot gets rejected.
- Need a ballot, or need to register? You can register or update your registration in person through Election Day at the county elections office or at the courthouse.
- Want to confirm your ballot arrived and was accepted? Click the "Track Your Ballot" link at sosmt.gov.
- If your ballot is rejected, it can still be resolved up to 5 p.m. on June 3, the day after the election. The Carbon County Elections Office will contact you to fix the problem up to that cutoff.
Why it matters
The June primary often decides who will represent us. Turnout in primaries is historically low, which means every single vote carries real weight. The next Legislature will make consequential decisions on property taxes, school funding, and the state budget. Whoever you support, please take part. Representation works best when the people doing the choosing reflect the whole community, not just the few who happen to show up.
The work continues between sessions
Outside of the odd-year legislative session, the work continues through interim committees. I currently serve on four interim bodies:
These meetings are public and live-streamed, and the schedules and materials are posted on the Legislature's website at the links I've shared above. I'd encourage anyone interested in how these decisions get made to tune in.
What I've worked on
A quick report-back on some of the work from last session that touches Carbon County directly:
- Property tax relief: I supported the homestead reforms (HB 231 and SB 542) to lower the burden on Montana resident homeowners and renters. On average, resident homeowners saw a 7.5% reduction along with a $400 rebate in Tax Year (TY) 2025. Based on Department of Revenue projections using current mill rates, those homeowners will see another 17% reduction, long-term rentals a 30% reduction, smaller commercial properties a 17.5% reduction, and ag land a 10% reduction, on average in TY 2026. From 2021 to 2024, large industrial properties, many owned by out-of-state corporations, had effectively received a tax holiday by paying flat or reduced property taxes while Montana families paid more as home values climbed rapidly. These reforms ended that imbalance, and that's why they are attacking with false mailers and ads.
- School funding: I sponsored HB 567 to make multi-district agreements easier and keep our rural schools strong and sustainable by sharing resources to save taxpayer dollars on overhead and get more of that money into the classroom.
- Lower income taxes: I supported cutting Montana's top income tax rate from 5.9% to 5.4% to leave more money in working families' pockets.
- Business equipment tax relief (2023): I supported raising the exemption from $300,000 to $1 million.
See for yourself
I'd rather you judge my record than take anyone's word for it or trust a cherry-picked scorecard. You can review my complete voting record on the nonpartisan Montana Free Press Capitol Tracker for the 2023 and 2025 legislative sessions. You'll also find recordings of the candidate debates on my Facebook page. You can also see my endorsements from the NRA, Montana Farm Bureau, and the Montana Stockgrowers Association.
As always, you can email, text, or call me with any questions or concerns. It is an honor to serve you.
