CORA NEUMANN
Active candidates for Senate District 30
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.
Cora Neumann, 49, is running for Montana SD 30. Raised and based in Bozeman, she and her husband are raising their two children here, surrounded by 4 generations of family. Cora is Chief Health Officer for a Native-led organization, and has spent 25 years leading non-profits that expand healthcare access, create jobs and protect public lands. Her work has spanned MT, the country, and the world, working with leaders from both parties. Raised by a homemaker and union carpenter, Cora understands Montanans' challenges. She worked various jobs to pay for college and still carries student debt. Cora is committed to bringing in good jobs, protecting public access, and ensuring Montana is affordable for our families, and for all future generations.
Top issues are affordability, housing & property taxes. Many Montanans are priced out of their hometowns, affecting renters and owners. Housing is a basic need, and we must fix this to protect the Montana (and Montanans) we love. I propose increasing housing for working families, seniors, and veterans by offering tax incentives, construction grants, and mandating 15% affordable units in new developments. Additional solutions: expand Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Down Payment Assistance, Housing Choice Vouchers, and emergency rental assistance. I’ll also work with our federal delegation to increase FHA, CDBG, HOME funding, private-public partnerships, USDA initiatives, and to address supply chain issues. We can fix this.
In 2023, the R supermajority had a $2.5 billion surplus but failed to stop this property tax crisis - even killing a bill to cap property taxes relative to household income. Montanans are seeing hikes ranging from 21% to 39% in places like Gallatin County, driving low and fixed-income homeowners to the brink. Montanans deserve better. I will work to expand circuit breaker programs that cap property taxes relative to income, and introduce proposals like a homestead exemption; tax credits for renters, veterans and the elderly; adjusted tax rates for wealthier properties, and taxing of tourism-oriented goods. It's time to overhaul our tax system to provide relief for everyday Montanans, and ensure the tax burden is fair, not rigged.
My commitment to rural healthcare is deeply personal, stemming from the loss of my father due to lack of access to the care he needed. Over 134,000 Montanans have lost Medicaid since April 2023 due to mismanagement by the current administration. Families are avoiding medical care due to fear of bills - our neighbors & friends are getting sick and in crisis, and we could have avoided it. In MT, Medicaid expansion reduces ER visits, increases preventive care, lowers uncompensated care costs by 35%, and generated $475M in new personal income in 2022. It makes our communities and economy stronger! Medicaid expansion is set to expire in 2025, putting 100,000+ more Montanans at risk. I am deeply committed to reauthorizing Medicaid expansion.
Montana's school funding formula isn't keeping up with costs. We need to remove the 3% cap on inflationary increases to match real costs and reflect regional cost of living differences - like the booming housing prices in Bozeman. I support keeping in-state college tuition affordable and making community colleges low-cost or free with programs like the Promise Grant. Strengthening trade union apprenticeship programs in public schools is also crucial. My stepfather, who didn’t finish high school, supported our family and built a successful career through an apprenticeship and the carpenters union, and went on to employ 10,000+ union workers. This is our path to a bright future for Montana: educated, trained, competitive and well-paid.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| CORA NEUMANN | 2,990 |
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.