DEBO POWERS
Active candidates for House District 3
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.
My father served in the military as a career Naval aviator which is why I was born in the Philadelphia Naval Hospital and moved a lot while growing up. I now live north of Polebridge, Montana next to Glacier National Park surrounded by public land. I am a retired public-school teacher and principal. I served as the Representative for House District 3 for more than a year after being appointed to fill a vacancy in 2019.
I have a proven track record of working with diverse groups of people to reach consensus on important issues. My leadership and public service as a public-school teacher and principal, conservation advocate, community leader, and former Montana state representative have prepared me to be an effective legislator..
The most important issues facing Montana are affordability for working and retired Montanans, passing on a stable climate system for our youth, ensuring quality public education, and maintaining an independent judiciary to safeguard our fundamental rights. I will work with other legislators to develop solutions to these challenges facing us.
The first thing that needs to happen is for the Legislature to fulfill its constitutional obligation to equalize taxation between corporations and residential property taxes. The Legislature has failed to maintain equalization and while residential property taxes increased by $259 million last year, corporate taxes declined by $76 million. Notably, while our homes are assessed at their full market value, corporations are allowed to negotiate their values. We need to have tax fairness.
Second, we can institute a homestead exemption (which would be a reduction of the taxable value) for homeowners who reside fulltime in Montana and pay their income taxes in Montana and would not be available for those with second and third homes here.
It is vitally important that the Legislature pass Medicaid Expansion in 2025 for the sake of Montana citizens, our rural hospitals, and our economy. If the Legislature fails to pass this, thousands of hard-working Montanans and children will go without healthcare insurance. Our economy needs a healthy workforce, and our education system needs healthy children. Most of our rural hospitals and clinics depend upon Medicaid to keep their doors open. Medicaid is not a hand-out; it provides affordable healthcare insurance for low income workers and their families. 80% of the cost of Medicaid comes from the federal government rather than Montana. It is essential that we do not turn this federal money away at the expense of our citizens.
We need to: (1) Change the State Funding Formula for Public Schools to alleviate chronic budget shortfalls and not force schools to rely so heavily on local property taxes and annual school levies; (2) Recruit and Retain Quality Teachers by raising starting teacher salaries which are the lowest in the nation; (3) Special Allocation for Public School Infrastructure to maintain minimum school building standards and the necessary technology needed for a quality education. The Legislature has a constitutional duty to provide a quality public education for every child in Montana.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| DEBO POWERS | 993 | |
| GUTHRIE QUIST | 363 |
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.