JAMES REAVIS
Active candidates for House 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.
I was born in Butte, America and I am proud to live in Billings, Montana. I’ll be 41 on Election Day. I am an attorney and recently entered private practice with the firm Netzer, Krautter, & Brown, P.C. Before that I served as a public defender with the State of Montana for 11 years. My work protected everyone’s rights under the Constitution. I have been involved with the Montana Legislature for a decade, using my public sector experience and knowledge of the criminal justice system to provide testimony and bill drafting assistance. Last year I used my advocacy to pass legislation to protect children from sexual assault and to cut red tape in state government. I can bring more positive change as your next state representative from Billings.
The most pressing issues in the upcoming session are addressing housing affordability, renewing Medicaid expansion, and reforming Montana State Hospital as well as our state’s mental health services. For housing, I support zoning reform, encouraging multi-family homes, and creative practices such as accessory dwelling units and community land trusts. Passing permanent Medicaid expansion is critical for a healthy and productive workforce. It’s also the right thing to do. The State Hospital is at serious risk of collapsing. As an attorney who has represented MSH patients, I’ll use my legal experience to draft legislation for building a new system of community-based mental health hospitals to provide patients the support they need.
The 2023 Legislature fumbled an opportunity to stop the pandemic housing spike from spiking the property taxes of everyday Montanans, many on fixed incomes. Rather than adjust property taxes to keep homeowners from getting pinched, legislators cut income taxes for the wealthiest Montanans instead. Property taxes for railroad and mine owners have a cap as to how much their property taxes can increase each year, while homeowners do not. I support a wide range of tax reforms, such as expansion of the P-TAP program to the middle class, giving local governments more levers to generate revenue, and fixing the education funding formula to reduce dependence on mill levies.
The first critical priority is to pass permanent Medicaid expansion so that thousands upon thousands of Montanans are not denied needed health care. Health care reduces homelessness and improves public safety. I’ll support any reform that brings direct care to patients. DPHHS should not be denying health care for paperwork bungles or forcing rural residents to rely on phone calls to get critical care. I will also use my mental health experience and legal background to reform Montana’s broken mental heath care system, starting with Montana State Hospital and the involuntary commitment process. We can build mental health facilities that will keep patients in the community and plugged in to local resources.
An educated community increases public safety and improves the quality of our workforce. Montana teachers are among the lowest paid in the nation. Teacher salaries must be increased. The school funding formula should be less reliant on local property taxes and mill levies. Education funding must be a reliable and consistent component of the state budget so schools know they will be getting the resources they need and can make long-term plans accordingly. I would oppose any measures that divert money from public schools. I also strongly support increased funding for early childhood education and quality daycare. Investments in early childhood education provide children with the best chance for a lifetime of success.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| JAMES REAVIS | 602 |
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.