Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution
The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.
Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)
Legislative Scorecard
Based on the U.S. Constitution
MT Scorecard 2023
The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.
Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Montana State Legislature in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
Senate
1. Right to Carry in Montana’s Constitution
HB551 Right to Carry in Montana's Constitution (passed 33 to 17 on 4/26/2023). Would propose to amend Montana’s Constitution by declaring that it is the “right of any person to keep and bear arms” and removing the restrictive clause regarding the carrying of concealed weapons.
2. Prohibiting Ranked-Choice Voting
HB598 Prohibiting Ranked-Choice Voting (passed 27 to 23 on 4/5/2023). Prohibits a ranked-choice voting method from being used to determine the election or nomination of a candidate to a local, state, or federal office.
3. Resolution on Marbury v. Madison
4. “Electronic Money” in the Uniform Commercial Code
SB370 "Electronic Money" in the Uniform Commercial Code (passed 31 to 19 on 3/2/2023). Would have, prior to being amended by the House, adopted a new definition of “electronic money” in the Uniform Commercial Code.
5. Article V Convention: Constitutional Amendments
SJ2 Article V Convention: Constitutional Amendments (failed 25 to 25 on 2/1/2023). Would apply to Congress for a “convention of the states” under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
6. No Right to Abortion
SB154 No Right to Abortion (passed 28 to 21 on 1/26/2023). Clarifies that the right of individual privacy, as referenced in the Constitution or laws of Montana, “does not create, and may not be construed as creating or recognizing, a right to abortion or to governmental funding of abortion.”
Name | Party | District | Score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dan Bartel | R | SD-015 | 83% | + | + | + | + | - | + |
Becky Beard | R | SD-040 | 83% | + | + | + | - | + | + |
Kenneth Bogner | R | SD-019 | 83% | + | + | + | + | - | + |
Ellie Boldman | D | SD-045 | 17% | - | - | - | - | + | - |
Bob Brown | R | SD-007 | 100% | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Mike Cuffe | R | SD-001 | 67% | + | + | - | - | + | + |
Willis Curdy | D | SD-049 | 17% | - | - | - | - | + | - |
Mary Dunwell | D | SD-042 | 17% | - | - | - | - | + | - |
Janet Ellis | D | SD-041 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Jason Ellsworth | R | SD-043 | 50% | + | + | - | - | - | + |
Daniel Emrich | R | SD-011 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
John Esp | R | SD-030 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
Steve Fitzpatrick | R | SD-010 | 50% | + | + | - | - | - | + |
Pat Flowers | D | SD-032 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Mike Fox | D | SD-016 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Chris Friedel | R | SD-026 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
John Fuller | R | SD-004 | 83% | + | + | + | + | - | + |
Bruce Gillespie | R | SD-009 | 50% | + | + | + | - | - | - |
Carl Glimm | R | SD-002 | 83% | + | + | + | + | - | + |
Jen Gross | D | SD-025 | 17% | - | - | - | - | + | - |
Denise Hayman | D | SD-033 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Greg Hertz | R | SD-006 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
Steve Hinebauch | R | SD-018 | 83% | + | + | + | + | - | + |
Katherin Kelker | D | SD-024 | 40% | - | - | - | + | + | . |
Mike Lang | R | SD-017 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
Dennis Lenz | R | SD-027 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
Ryan Lynch | D | SD-037 | 17% | - | - | - | + | - | - |
Forrest Mandeville | R | SD-029 | 83% | + | - | + | + | + | + |
Theresa Manzella | R | SD-044 | 100% | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Edith McClafferty | D | SD-038 | 33% | - | + | - | - | + | - |
Tom McGillvray | R | SD-023 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
Wendy McKamey | R | SD-012 | 33% | + | - | + | - | - | - |
Brad Molnar | R | SD-028 | 67% | + | + | + | - | - | + |
Shane Morigeau | D | SD-048 | 17% | - | - | - | - | + | - |
Mark Noland | R | SD-005 | 83% | + | + | + | + | - | + |
Shannon O'Brien | D | SD-046 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Andrea Olsen | D | SD-050 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Christopher Pope | D | SD-031 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Keith Regier | R | SD-003 | 83% | + | + | + | + | - | + |
Walt Sales | R | SD-035 | 83% | + | + | + | - | + | + |
Daniel Salomon | R | SD-047 | 33% | + | - | + | - | - | - |
Jason Small | R | SD-021 | 33% | + | - | - | - | - | + |
Russel Tempel | R | SD-014 | 17% | - | - | - | - | + | - |
Barry Usher | R | SD-020 | 83% | + | + | + | - | + | + |
Shelley Vance | R | SD-034 | 83% | + | + | + | - | + | + |
Terry Vermeire | R | SD-039 | 50% | + | + | + | - | - | - |
Susan Webber | D | SD-008 | 17% | - | - | - | - | + | - |
Jeffrey Welborn | R | SD-036 | 17% | + | - | - | - | - | - |
Daniel Zolnikov | R | SD-022 | 50% | + | - | + | - | - | + |
Average Constitutional Score by Party
Party | Score |
---|---|
Republican | 66.1% |
Democrat | 26.4% |