Brad Molnar
Active candidates for Public Service Commission (Seat 2)
Republican
Democrat
Molnar, 74 as of Election Day, is a longtime state lawmaker from Laurel who previously served on the PSC from 2005 to 2012.
Molnar said he plans to give up his Montana Senate seat — he is in the midst of his second term — “because this is my passion and where I can do the most good.” He currently sits on the Senate Energy and Taxation committees.
Molnar said he’s willing to have an “open mind” about the matters that come before the PSC and prioritizes the needs and concerns of his constituents over lobbyists working for the companies the commission regulates. During his tenure at the Capitol, he’s developed a reputation as a lawmaker willing to vote against his party.
“I’m going to win the fights I can win in the battle that is the biggest battle in Montana that nobody recognizes,” Molnar said. “I do, and I’m going to fight it.”
Molnar said he has remained engaged with the commission’s work and would like to see the PSC work with NorthWestern Energy, the state’s largest regulated power monopoly, on long-range planning.
While serving on the PSC, Molnar was fined $200 in 2011 for leaving the scene of a collision where he backed his pickup into a high schooler’s car in the parking lot of a Laurel Burger King. According to Lee Newspapers, he told law enforcement he didn’t realize he needed to exchange information because he didn’t believe the high schooler’s car was worth more than $500.
This biography is based on an MTFP’s interview with Molnar, past media coverage and Molnar’s response to MTFP’s questionnaire.
ON THE ISSUES
Answers here were solicited from candidates via a written questionnaire conducted by MTFP in April 2024. Responses were limited to 1,000 characters and edited lightly for punctuation and spelling. Candidates were asked to focus on the positives their service would bring the state instead of making rhetorical attacks on their opponents. Responses have not been exhaustively fact-checked.
I have done this for eight years and got reelected by a wide margin. In 2001 Gov. Martz put me on the blue-ribbon energy committee and the speaker hired me as his energy advisor. They both had the same request: “The rate moratorium expires in May. Figure a way to not let us get crushed with California rates but no contracts.” I was the only one that could do it. I did. Complex enough?
The Legislature has precluded the PSC from considering externalities, such as climate change, in the quest for affordable and reliable power. EPA and the DEQ are in charge of emissions and water quality, etc. The providers must comply with them. It is not up to the PSC to re-do those regulations. In the alternative, which theory do you think should be the mandated outcome before the hearing is held?
The entire West is in a state of collapse as high-capacity energy is challenged at every turn by renewable proponents. Soon, the IOU's (investor-owned utilities) must admit that a subsidy is better than a lengthy and expensive lawsuit that may not be won. Some public utility commissions are begging IOU's to not shutter for there is no replacement power during emergencies like we just experienced. I tried to head that off by writing a bill denying NorthWestern Energy stranded cost if they shut down Colstrip Unit 4 early. They killed it. If it gets critical, we should look at joining an Regional Transmission Authority (an acceptable model does not yet exist) or reconsidering the IOU model. I have already begun this process.
Many federal mandates need to be revisited i.e., PURPA 210 and the massive subsidies for various renewables. The Montana Supreme Court has upheld many ill-considered district court rulings that raised the cost to consumers. Yet the PSC gets the blame. The PSC needs to educate the consumers about these ill-advised actions and not just shrug. There are many goofy things in various dockets from the past that should be re-visited and eliminated.
We should no longer simply accept NorthWestern Energy's report dispatchable energy sources. The PSC should [sit] down with NWE and work together on long-range planning., i.e., a far more hands-on approach.
MTFP COVERAGE OF Molnar
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| BRAD MOLNAR | 16,301 | |
| KIRK BUSHMAN | 15,060 |
COMMON VOTING QUESTIONS
When are Montana’s 2024 elections?
Voters will pick which candidates advance to the November general election in the June primary, which is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4. Voters will pick the candidates who will ultimately fill each office on the ballot in the November election, which is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Who runs Montana’s elections?
Montana elections are administered at the county level. The process is overseen by county clerks and election administrators, who help to train and monitor the volunteer election judges that staff the polls. Ballots are typically processed and counted at central county locations, with the results reported to the Montana secretary of state’s office via a statewide software system called ElectMT.
Once polls close, the secretary of state’s office provides results through its website. The state-level office also provides guidance to local election administrators to ensure compliance with state election laws. Additionally, enforcing compliance with some laws governing political campaigns, particularly those involving campaign finance, falls to a separate office known as the Commissioner of Political Practices.
Do I need to be registered in order to vote?
Yes. If you’re unsure about your registration status, you can check it through the Montana secretary of state's My Voter Page. You can register to vote by stopping by your county election office any time during regular business hours to pick up an application. After you’ve filled it out, you’ll need to get it back to your county election office by mail or in person (the latter option is strongly recommended close to Election Day to ensure your application is received in time). If you do present your application in person, you’ll have to provide a photo ID or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you happen to be applying for a Montana driver’s license or identification card before the election, you can register to vote at the same time.
Can I register to vote on Election Day?
Yes. The state Legislature has sought to enact an earlier registration deadline, but under a March 2024 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, same-day voter registration remains legal in Montana. Residents can register to vote or update their voter registration at their county’s election office prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Does Montana have voter ID requirements?
Yes, you will be required to present identification when voting at the polls. However, under the Montana Supreme Court’s March ruling, changes made to those requirements by the 2021 Legislature remain blocked. The current forms of identification voters can use at the polls are a current Montana driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, tribal or military photo ID, a U.S. passport or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can use a utility bill, a bank statement, a voter confirmation card or any other government document that shows your name and address.
Are there situations where I wouldn't be eligible to vote?
According to state law, you can't vote if you'll be under age 18 on Election Day, are not a U.S. citizen, or have lived in Montana less than 30 days. Convicted felons who are currently incarcerated in a penal facility and people whom judges have ruled to be of unsound mind are also ineligible to vote. Otherwise, you're good to go.
Can I vote online?
No, that’s not an option in Montana.
Can I vote by mail?
Yes, you can sign up as an absentee voter by checking a box on your voter registration form. If you’re already registered to vote, you can fill out a separate form and submit it to your county election office.
If you’re registered as an absentee voter, a ballot should be mailed to you a few weeks in advance of each election day. You can make sure your address is current via the My Voter page. County election officials are slated to mail ballots to voters for the June 2024 primary election May 10.
You can return ballots by mail, or drop them off in person at your county’s election office. Either way, the election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to count it.
How do I vote in person?
If you plan to vote at the polls, just be sure you know where your polling location is and head there between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. You'll need to provide a photo ID and sign the precinct register, at which point you’ll get your ballot and be directed to a voting booth. If you have any technical questions or run into any problems, the election judges at your polling place should be able to help you.
I have a friend or family member who isn't able to drop off his or her mail-in ballot. Can I do it for them?
Yes, you can. The Montana Legislature did make some changes to ballot collection laws in 2021 related to paid ballot collection, those changes have also been blocked by the Montana Supreme Court.
Who should I vote for?
That’s your call, not ours. We hope the information we present on this guide is helpful as you make that decision for yourself, though.
About this project
This guide was produced by the Montana Free Press newsroom with production and web development by Eric Dietrich, editing by Brad Tyer and Nick Ehli and contributions from Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Mara Silvers, Alex Sakariassen, Amanda Eggert and Stephanie Farmer. Questionnaire responses for legislatiive candidates were collected with help from the Montana League of Women Voters, through the league's Vote 411 program. Contact Eric Dietrich with questions, corrections or suggestions at edietrich@montanafreepress.org.
Montana Free Press is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit, reader-supported news organization serving Montana. MTFP's donor base includes supporters from across Montana's political spectrum, including some Montanans who are candidates in this year's election. MTFP's major donors are listed here and a current list of other supporters is available here. MTFP's news judgments are made entirely independently from donor involvement.
This material is available for republication by other media outlets under Montana Free Press' standard distribution terms.