LAURA SMITH
Active candidates for Senate District 40
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’m 42 and live in Helena with my husband, Mac, and two daughters, 4 and 7. I was born in Salt Lake City, and started my career in Great Falls as a prosecutor. I saw the heart-breaking impact of violence on children and decided to focus my efforts on policies helping kids. I served as the Deputy Director of MT DPHHS, leading state-wide initiatives supporting families.
I am passionate about policies that protect the childhood of every Montana kid, from affordable housing & quality public schools to public safety and a fairer tax system. As the current Representative for House District 79, I championed legislation to protect vulnerable kids and teenagers, support families caring for sick children, and to protect kids from predators.
The most pressing issue facing Montana’s families is the cost of living—from skyrocketing property taxes to a profound lack of affordable housing. If I am elected, I will fight for immediate property tax relief and will advocate for a recalibration of the tax system that is fair to working and senior Montanans.
I will advocate for investments in housing that Montanans can actually afford, and I will support the creation of a tax credit to protect families and seniors from being priced out of their homes.
In addition to addressing these major economic issues, I will continue fighting for reproductive freedom, quality public schools, affordable childcare, public lands, and government transparency/accountability to you, the people.
As it stands, property taxes in Montana are not fair: families & seniors are paying more than their fair share, especially compared to large corporations, which saw a massive property tax cut, while residential taxes soared.
If elected, I will fight for immediate property tax relief for homeowners & small businesses in the form of $50,000 and $200,000 tax exemptions. I will advocate for legislation to recalibrate our tax code to make it fair, and I will fight for a Housing Fairness Tax Credit for working families and seniors to prevent Montanans from being financially pushed out of their homes.
No Montanan should have to worry that they won't be able to stay in their home because of sky-rocketing property taxes.
We must continue the Medicaid program – for the health of our community and the economy of rural towns across Montana. I will vote to keep this coverage accessible.
Medicaid provides health care stability for families & children, is critical for small businesses to keep employees healthy and working, and is essential for continued operation of rural hospitals/clinics serving their communities. Continuing the Medicaid program reduces the frequency of uncompensated care, which in turn keeps costs from dramatically rising for all of us.
I will continue to fight for Montanans’ bodily autonomy and reproductive freedoms, including abortion, IVF, and birth control. Our daughters should not have fewer rights than we do.
My daughter is in Helena's public schools, and I’ve had conversations with many teachers and staff in our town. These community members pour their hearts and souls into educating the next generation, yet public school funding isn’t keeping up with inflation, rising costs, and the quality of education all children are entitled to under the Montana Constitution.
I support a close examination and recalibration of our schools’ funding formula and removal of the three percent inflation cap to ensure that our local schools can adequately budget for the needs of their individual communities. I do not support draining public school funds to pay for private schools that serve a select number of families who are able to afford it.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| LAURA SMITH | 3,198 |
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.