BRUCE SHULTZ
Active candidates for Senate District 39
Republican
Democrat
ON THE ISSUES
Answers here were solicited from legislative candidates via a written questionnaire in April 2024, conducted in collaboration between MTFP and the Montana League of Women Voters. Responses here are presented exactly as submitted, without fact-checking or editing for minor punctuation or spelling errors. Readers can access the league's Vote411 resource here.
Legislative candidates who haven't submitted answers to these questions can do so at any time by contacting montanalwv@gmail.com or calling 406-233-9015.
I was born in New Haven, CT. I was raised in Hamden, CT. I am 59. I have lived in Raynesford, MT since 1992. I am a rancher, but I have had several jobs since 1992. I have worked in forestry, I have sold insurance, I have crop adjusted and I was vice-president of National Farmers Organization for 4 years. I have a BS in Forestry Resource Management from the University of Montana. I have worked in 33 counties in Montana between forestry and crop adjusting. I have met people from all across Montana and I have been able to relate to them and work with them. I have volunteered for most of my life, whether it be on the fire department, church, or youth sports and school activities.
My most pressing issue is the lack of foresight our current legislature is showing. We are last in the nation for starting pay for public teachers. How can we educate our youth if we don't show support for schools. This past year Montana had about 10% of the teacher positions open. How is that benefiting our children? We also passed, but it thrown out in court laws which would have allowed mining waste water to be dirtier than the federal rules permit. The federal rules as are base line which a state can make more stringent. However, our legislature and governor decided it was Montanans' best interest to have the the dirtiest water in the nation. There is no looking into the future in Helena, all vision is nearsighted.
Our governor could have made an adjustment to the tax rate, as many governors have done before. I believe this was done to create a push to install a sales tax in Montana. A sales tax would negatively affect year-round residents and only benefit the rich part-timers who do not spend a high percentage of their money in Montana. We need to tax vacation house rentals such as Air B&Bs, as commercial properties. This revenue can be used to offset residential taxes. We need to adjust the value of vacation homes, where people live in Montana less than six months and are not residents.
We need to extend expanded medicaid beyond 2025. Health care is vital and should be a fundamental right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Many Montanans need the financial help that this program affords. Without Medicaid, many citizens would not see a health care professional when they first feel sick due to cost. It has been proven that it is way more cost effective to have expanded Medicaid than to have to pay emergency room expenses and to help prevent catastrophic illnesses which are more expensive to treat. Without expanded medicaid, many rural health care facilities would have to shut their doors. Then we are putting a burden on families to travel great distances to see loved ones.
The first thing we must undo is allowing government money to go to private schools. If someone wants to send their child to a private school, good for them. They should not expect our tax dollars to help fund this private education. One of the greatest success stories is public education in the US. We need to educate the next generation of Montanans, with a poor education system our children will leave the state.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| BRUCE SHULTZ | 1,078 |
Common voting questions
When are Montana’s 2024 elections?
Voters picked party nominees for the November general election in the June 4 primary. The November General Election that will decide the ultimate winner in each race 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 November 2024 General Election Oct. 11.
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 or other accepted form of identification 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, but 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 by Eric Dietrich, web development by Eric Dietrich and Jacob Olness, 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.