ELLIE HILL BOLDMAN
Active candidates for Senate District 47
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.
Montana Senator. Six terms in the Capitol. Three governors. Attorney. Mom. Proudly represent ALL people in Missoula. I’m into thrift stores, college sports, and socioeconomic justice. Always in search of common ground and good Montana beer.
The most pressing issue(s)? News flash! Your rights are on fire. It’s never been more real in Montana. What’s at stake? Our Constitutional rights to make autonomous medical decisions, equality for all, a clean and healthful environment, access to voting rights, public education, a workplace that works for workers, any semblance of affordable housing… shall I go on? I’ll maintain my solid voting record and I’ll tout my past endorsements from organizations like Montana Conservation Voters, Forward Montana, and Planned Parenthood because they are the values I believe in and the rights that are under attack.
12 months ago, we walked into the Montana Capitol with a 2 billion dollar budget surplus. Yes, that says, billion. I’ll tell you who is to blame. Instead of creating a once in a generation, response & fully funding our public schools in rural, urban, and Tribal Montana, the GOP supermajority raised taxes for homeowners by $200 million & they cut taxes for all those “small business owners” you know, the one the Governor keeps talking about… like Northwestern Energy, cut their taxes by 36 million, cut Charter Communications by 1.8 million, cut Montana Rail Link by 2.8 million. On the backs of our counties & cities & homeowners. That’s the FACTS. But hey, they focused on banning your books & keeping transgender kids from getting medical care!
Medicaid unwinding: 120,707 Montanans, including 12,857 American Indians, 24,000 children, have lost health insurance under your GOP super majority. The vast majority – 64 percent - have had their coverage terminated due to procedural reasons, like returning incomplete paperwork, and not because they were ineligible. Elections have consequences. There is nothing excusable about this. Kids having health care didn’t used to be a partisan issue. Welcome to your new GOP in Montana! Enough of the Washington DC ideological nonsense. Vote ‘em out.
We need to value the collective future of our children beyond fictional inflationary costs and meet actual costs. In government, we spend money on what we care about… so please vote for candidates who care about quality public education, from early ed to higher ed. I’m proud to be endorsed by our public employees, firefighters, and teachers for 15 years & I plan to stand in solidarity with them for my own kids and their future. See also question #3!
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| ELLIE HILL BOLDMAN | 3,499 |
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.