Sid Daud
Active candidates for U.S. Senate
Daoud, 57 as of Election Day, is a Libertarian who says he hopes to usher in a new era of representation for Montana in the U.S. Senate.
He says being a third-party candidate means he won’t be beholden to any major party leader and will vote his conscience no matter who is in the White House, though he acknowledged more alignment with Trump than Biden.
“I will be forced to work with whichever flavor of administration we have, but I will be consistent in upholding and voting my principles,” Daoud said. “Coincidentally my principles align with the principles of Montana and all I need to fall back on are the same lessons I grew up learning in our great state.”
Daoud said he wants to dramatically reduce federal spending, restore the federal appropriations process to regular order and cut government programs. As a Libertarian, he said he also believes in ending American military aid to foreign countries.
“I’m a Montanan with a rich family history, representing two American dreams,” he said. “On my mother’s side, the dream of early settlers in territorial Montana, and on my father’s, that of an Armenian immigrant, coming to America to work hard and make a new life.”
This biography is based on material Daoud provided to MTFP.
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.
Our biggest issue is our out-of-control national debt and inflation. We must stop spending, pass an actual budget (which Congress [hasn't] done in 28 years) that includes paying down our debt. We must demand that the Federal Reserve stop printing money until we see deflation. We can cut our budget by reducing the number of federal agencies and programs they administer. All this must be done immediately as we are currently callously spending our future generations’ future.
I will be forced to work with whichever flavor of administration we have, but I will be consistent in upholding and voting my principles. Coincidentally my principles align with the principles of Montana and all I need to fall back on are the same lessons I grew up learning in our great state. Essentially the ideal of being left alone — less government intervention, more self-reliance. I personally doubt that President Biden is in charge of his own mental faculties let alone the nation.
Not being a Republican or Democrat has its advantages, as I am beholden to no party (not even my own) or political personality. Please see my previous response, although I think that I have a bit more alignment with President Trump.
It is our number one priority. Absolutely no tax increases whatsoever. We can provide a balanced budget, with cuts across the board. We can also reduce the size of the federal government by reducing the number of federal agencies. I do not see the value in any agency created after 1970. Their roles can be folded into existing agencies. None of this will be fun, but it is necessary to dig us out of the hole we are in and get us all back to adherence to the Constitution.
I agree with the Supreme Court, abortion is not a federal issue. I however take it further; the government should be completely out of this issue.
The best thing the federal government can do to address housing access for all is to start correcting our national debt, inflation and out of control spending. The local economy is affected by this critically. I face housing issues all the time on City Council here in Kalispell (the fastest-growing micropolitan city in the U.S.) and the only fix is to increase the number of units. We have done a great job in Kalispell to start addressing this with the units we have coming online. The national lockdown and Covid funding were crippling factors to this problem, and it is going to take bunch of hard work to correct this. The high cost of materials coupled with the scarcity of construction workers is a terrible combination.
Climate change has turned into a power grab by government entities around the world. If we in the U.S. are serious about reducing our impact, we should do it the American way by supporting and getting out of the way of innovation by entrepreneurs. Regulating and taxing will fail as it always does. I am very concerned with the not-so-hidden global effort of depopulation, that scares me more than anything around this issue.
This is probably the biggest hot button issue facing federal candidates this year. Unfortunately, the leadership of the two big parties have no intention of fixing the issue as it keeps their base in line and focused on the left-right war. I would begin to attack this issue by immediately stopping all social welfare for immigrants. We have not given this in the past and no one should expect tax dollars to be taken and then distributed to non-citizens. If we are going to have a border policy, it should be consistent to every border and consistent between agencies tasked with enforcement (which it is not today). I don’t think anyone would disagree that we need immigration policy reform.
The government needs to get out of the way. The best outcomes appear when there is little government involvement, and the free market can determine pricing (Lasik eye surgery is a great example of this). This is the only service that we engage with not knowing the cost to us until after the visit or procedure. Let the different providers compete with listed pricing and let insurance companies compete past state borders for a start.
We should not. Period. We can only send aid at this time by increasing our debt or printing money (inflation) in other words we can only send support by hurting Americans to do it. If Congress is determined to support one side or the other, it can do its job and declare war. If we want to support wars in other countries the federal government can issue limited time special bonds, and let Americans decide if they wish to contribute of their own free will. We know when the bonds will mature and can budget for that. Our country cannot sustain all of the endless wars and troop deployments around the world, not to mention the severe impact this has on our veterans that return broken.
MTFP COVERAGE OF Daud
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Election outcomes
No party primary was conducted.
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.