The Montana Republican Party (MT GOP) has reviewed Constitutional Initiative 126 (CI-126), known as the “Top 4 Vote Getter” initiative, and is clearly opposed to its back door ranked choice voting scheme. 

Across Montana, persons are now being paid to request voters sign a petition for general election ballot access for CI-126, a measure destructive to our elections process, as described below. 

CI-126 / the “Top 4 vote-getter” scheme requires no identified party affiliation for any candidate. It will result in less representation for conservatives, similar to the other states that have experimented with ranked choice voting. Under the Top 4 scheme Liberals and Democrats can self-identify as conservatives, essentially deceiving voters as to their positions on issues. As a result, with no real Party involvement, voters will have to conduct extensive and exhaustive research on an unknown/unlimited number of candidates in multiple races. Because of the confusion caused by the lack of candidate party designation, many conservative voters will not know for whom to vote, essentially causing their disenfranchisement. 

Further, Top 4 vote getter primaries are costly to administer, discourage voting due to the time necessary to vote, result in longer polling place lines, require multiple page ballots and increase the overall complexity of understanding the principles of every candidate. It is for these reasons that the 2023 Republican controlled Legislature enacted a prohibition against ranked choice voting, which our Republican Governor signed into law. It is also why a number of Montana county Republican Central Committees, and the Republican National Committee, has passed resolutions opposing these schemes. 

Supporters of Top 4 vote-getter elections, being funded and led by out of state liberal political groups, are seeking an end around Montana law to eliminate party primaries, preferring instead, free-for-all “Jungle Primaries” where liberal candidates can sneak into office. It is no wonder that Top 4 vote getter elections are being repealed in states nationwide, and the MT GOP must prevent its foothold in Montana. Make no mistake, the “Top 4” scheme’s consequences will be devastating. 

Be aware, some of the Montana faces behind CI-126 claim to be “Republicans.” The MT GOP states, unequivocally, that any person claiming to be a “Republican” in support of these measures is deceiving the public and we demand that such individuals immediately refrain from using the designation of “Republican” in their support of CI-126. Their actions are in direct contradiction of the MT GOP and its Platform, which opposes election trickery that disadvantages conservative candidates. 

If you’d like further information concerning the multiple problems with CI-126, please contact RCV Task Force Chair Art Wittich at artw@montana.com.