Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Montana Legislative Scorecard  »  Freedom Index  »  MT Scorecard 2023

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
House of Representatives

House of Representatives

1. Right to Carry in Montana’s Constitution

Good Vote: Yes

HB551 Right to Carry in Montana's Constitution (failed 62 to 34, with two-thirds needed, on 5/2/2023). 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. Resolution on Marbury v. Madison

Good Vote: Yes
SJ15 Resolution on Marbury v. Madison (failed 44 to 55 on 4/12/2023). Resolves that “the belief that the court has exclusive authority to interpret the constitution and that its decisions are binding on the other two branches is a myth based on a faulty understanding" of the U.S. Supreme Court's opinion in Marbury v. Madison.

3. “Sheriffs First” Bill

Good Vote: Yes

HB604 "Sheriffs First" Bill (failed 32 to 68 on 3/2/2023). Would require federal employees to obtain the county sheriff’s written permission prior to making an “arrest, search, or seizure” in the state.

4. Prohibiting Ranked-Choice Voting

Good Vote: Yes

HB598 Prohibiting Ranked-Choice Voting (passed 56 to 43 on 3/2/2023). 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.

5. Defend the Guard Act

Good Vote: Yes

HB527 Defend the Guard Act (failed 40 to 60 on 3/2/2023). Would have prevented any member of the Montana National Guard from being deployed for active duty combat without Congress passing an “official declaration of war.”

6. Article V Convention: Balanced Budget Amendment

Good Vote: No
HJ13 Article V Convention: Balanced Budget Amendment (failed 29 to 70 on 3/1/2023). Would apply to Congress for a “convention of the states” under Article V of the U.S. Constitution for the “sole purpose” of proposing a federal balanced budget amendment (BBA).
Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Kim Abbott D HD-083 17% -----+
Fred Anderson R HD-020 50% ++---+
Brad Barker R HD-058 17% +-----
Denise Baum D HD-047 17% -----+
David Bedey R HD-086 17% +-----
James Bergstrom R HD-030 67% ++-++-
Marta Bertoglio R HD-075 33% +--+--
Michele Binkley R HD-085 50% +--+-+
Laurie Bishop D HD-060 17% -----+
Larry Brewster R HD-044 67% ++-++-
Tony Brockman R HD-009 50% +--+-+
Alice Buckley D HD-063 17% -----+
Edward Butcher R HD-029 100% ++++++
Edward Buttrey R HD-021 50% ++---+
Mary Caferro D HD-081 33% ----++
Jennifer Carlson R HD-069 83% +++++-
Bob Carter D HD-098 17% -----+
Jill Cohenour D HD-084 17% -----+
Lee Deming R HD-055 100% ++++++
Julie Dooling R HD-070 50% +--+-+
Neil Duram R HD-002 83% +++++-
Sherry Essmann R HD-052 50% +--++-
Jodee Etchart R HD-048 60% +.-++-
Terry Falk R HD-008 83% +++++-
Dave Fern D HD-005 17% -----+
Paul Fielder R HD-013 100% ++++++
Ross Fitzgerald R HD-017 17% -----+
John Fitzpatrick R HD-077 33% ---+-+
Tom France D HD-094 17% -----+
Gregory Frazer R HD-078 33% +----+
Steven Galloway R HD-024 100% ++++++
Jane Gillette R HD-064 83% +++++-
Steve Gist R HD-025 83% ++++-+
Paul Green R HD-041 50% ++---+
Steve Gunderson R HD-001 100% ++++++
Jim Hamilton D HD-061 17% -----+
Derek Harvey D HD-074 17% -----+
Naarah Hastings R HD-050 83% ++-+++
Donavon Hawk D HD-076 17% -----+
Lyn Hellegaard R HD-097 83% ++-+++
Caleb Hinkle R HD-068 100% ++++++
Jedediah Hinkle R HD-067 100% ++++++
Mike Hopkins R HD-092 83% ++-+++
SJ Howell D HD-095 17% -----+
Llew Jones R HD-018 33% +--+--
Jonathan Karlen D HD-096 33% ----++
Josh Kassmier R HD-027 67% ++-+-+
Bob Keenan R HD-010 83% +++++-
Connie Keogh D HD-091 17% -----+
Scot Kerns R HD-023 83% ++++-+
Emma Kerr-Carpenter D HD-049 17% -----+
Greg Kmetz R HD-038 100% ++++++
Rhonda Knudsen R HD-034 67% ++++--
Casey Knudsen R HD-033 50% +-+-+-
Kelly Kortum D HD-065 17% -----+
Brandon Ler R HD-035 83% +++++-
Denley Loge R HD-014 33% +----+
Jennifer Lynch D HD-073 17% -----+
Marty Malone R HD-059 50% +-++--
Marilyn Marler D HD-090 17% -----+
Ron Marshall R HD-087 67% ++-+-+
Eric Matthews D HD-066 17% -----+
Bill Mercer R HD-046 50% +--++-
Russ Miner R HD-019 83% +-++++
Braxton Mitchell R HD-003 100% ++++++
Terry Moore R HD-054 50% ++-+--
Fiona Nave R HD-057 80% .+++-+
Nelly Nicol R HD-053 100% ++++++
George Nikolakakos R HD-026 33% +----+
Greg Oblander R HD-040 50% +--++-
Gary Parry R HD-039 50% ++-+--
Bob Phalen R HD-036 100% .+++++
Joe Read R HD-093 83% ++-+++
Amy Regier R HD-006 83% +++++-
Matt Regier R HD-004 67% ++-++-
Linda Reksten R HD-012 50% ++-+--
Melissa Romano D HD-081 17% -----+
Tyson Running Wolf D HD-016 20% .----+
Wayne Rusk R HD-088 33% ---+-+
Jerry Schillinger R HD-037 100% ++++++
Kerri Seekins-Crowe R HD-043 83% +++++-
Lola Sheldon-Galloway R HD-022 100% ++++++
Frank Smith D HD-031 17% -----+
Tanner Smith R HD-011 83% +++++-
Laura Smith D HD-079 17% -----+
Courtenay Sprunger R HD-007 50% +--+-+
Ed Stafman D HD-062 17% -----+
Sharon Stewart Peregoy D HD-042 17% -----+
Katie Sullivan D HD-089 17% -----+
Mark Thane D HD-099 17% -----+
Jeremy Trebas R HD-026 NA ......
Paul Tuss D HD-028 17% -----+
Sue Vinton R HD-056 67% +-+++-
Kenneth Walsh R HD-071 33% +----+
Marvin Weatherwax D HD-015 0% .--.-.
Tom Welch R HD-072 17% -----+
Jonathan Windy Boy D HD-032 17% -----+
Zack Wirth R HD-080 83% ++-+++
Michael Yakawich R HD-051 67% ++++--
Zooey Zephyr D HD-100 17% -----+
Katie Zolnikov R HD-045 83% +++++-

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 17.6%
Republican 66.9%