Pair of Initiatives Seek to Change Elections, Bolster Moderate Candidates

By Nicole Service Community News Service UM School of Journalism Many Americans express concern about how the political system is or is not working, but Montana voters will get a chance to change up the way elections are run in a way supporters hope will benefit more moderate candidates.

The changes are included in two separate constitutional amendments, CI-126 and CI-127, on this fall’s ballot.

CI-126 would amend the Montana Constitution to change the voting process to a “top four” primary election. This means that all candidates regardless of political party would appear on the primary ballot and the top four would advance.

Montanans do not register for a political party currently but can vote in a partisan primary. In that primary, voters receive party ballots and choose which one to submit. The winner of each primary then goes on to the general election as the nominee of that party.

CI-126 would change that and allow all voters to select their top candidate from all parties and th...