LINK NEIMARK
Active candidates for Senate District 5
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.
Born Chicago, IL Age 70 Residence Flathead County (for over 20 years) Occupation Real Estate Investor and Ski Instructor Education – Bachelor Zoology, Bachelor Psychology, Master Oceanography Experience: I have worked as an educator, a scientist, and an entrepreneur. As an educator, I learned how to inform and inspire, to communicate and collaborate. As a scientist, I learned to objectively gather information in order to reach unbiased logical conclusions. As an entrepreneur, I learned that problems are really opportunities for innovation and success. I am ready to utilize my diverse background and eager to apply my broad base of knowledge to address the common problems we face and improve the lives of all our citizens.
Property Tax Relief – A rapid increase in residential property values combined with cuts in the state income tax has disproportionately shifted an increasing amount of the tax burden onto home owners. It is a travesty that so many Montana citizens are struggling to pay these significant increases while the property taxes paid by Governor Gianforte on his Helena mansion actually went down! See suggestions to remedy this situation below in answers to question 3. Other issues: expand Medicaid (it is good for the economy and good for our people), keep public lands in public hands (let the Feds pay for firefighting while we enjoy the forests), mitigate climate change (creating new technology jobs to power a clean future).
What is needed is a more equitable system of taxation. One solution would be to raise the property tax rate and then provide a "homestead tax credit" to Montanans on their primary residence. The effect will be to shift the burden onto wealthier Montanans with second homes and onto out-of-state residents with vacation homes in Montana. There is some justice in this , since the rapid increase in property values has been caused in part by non-residents buying up property & thereby raising housing costs for locals. To raise more revenue, recent income tax cuts will need to be reversed. We could consider a sales tax; however, a sales tax is regressive falling most heavily on those least able to afford it. Better to institute a luxury tax .
- Medicaid needs to be expanded. Medicaid is paid primarily by the Federal government and even generates a 27 million dollar surplus. 2. Six million dollars of the Cannabis tax goes to the HEART account for addiction treatment. As this revenue increases, instead of a fixed dollar amount, HEART should receive a percentage of the revenue. 3. In 2022, over 100,000 Americans died of an overdose. States sued opioid distributors and won. Montana currently has 2.4 million in its opioid settlement fund. More money will be coming in over the next 20 years. So far, none of this money has been spent. It should be utilized as a plentiful source of funding for health care, especially for drug addiction treatment programs.
The state needs to raise additional tax revenue and earmark this for education (see question 3 above). The state must utilize every federal dollar available in the Head Start and Early Head Start programs to pay for pre-k education. These programs yield improved long-term outcomes for children in otherwise disadvantaged economic conditions. Plus, they essentially provide free child care allowing the parent to enter the work force and become a more productive tax paying citizen. Vocational programs should be available in high school and after graduation. These programs produce tradespeople who make good wages and pay more taxes. Voucher programs and charter schools are NOT the solution. They drain funds from the public school system.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| LINK NEIMARK | 1,007 |
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.