Montana Legislature

An Early Presidential Primary for Montana?

By Dan Testa, 4-11-07

Ever picture Hillary Clinton cranking turns at Snowbowl? Or Barack Obama snowmobiling in Drummond? What about Rudy Giuliani at the Wolf Point Stampede?

These might be the delightfully embarrassing campaign photo-ops forced upon presidential candidates if a bill to move up Montana’s presidential primary election makes it through the Legislature.

The bill resembles similar legislation across the nation as states scramble for a piece of the attention and power accorded New Hampshire and Iowa. A presidential candidate’s performance in those first primaries can make or break a campaign.

Colstrip Republican Duane Ankney’s House Bill 797 authorizes the Secretary of State to hold Montana’s presidential primary election as early as February in the year prior to a presidential election.

After passing the House with 76 votes, Ankney brought his bill before the Senate State Administration Committee Wednesday.

With California, New Mexico, Utah and others also moving up their primaries to February 1, Ankney said bumping forward Montana’s primary will bring greater focus to the issues facing the West.

“What it would kind of give us is a megaphone to get our issues out there nationally,” Ankney said. “We may be few but we be mighty. Let our voice be heard.”

Mark Simonich, an adviser to the Secretary of State, supported the bill but said the date changes by so many other states could significantly affect the national management of presidential elections.

“There’s a rush to be at the front,” Simonich said. “Nationally, there’s going to have to be some discussion about how the primaries happen.”

Some committee members questioned the bill’s million-dollar price tag to hold a February primary, and whether separating the presidential primary could deflate voter turnout for state and local elections.

Ankney predicted Montana would get at least one visit from a presidential candidate if the bill passed.

“Yeah, Kucinich,” joked Senator Carolyn Squires, D-Missoula.

The committee took no action on the bill. 

Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.