MELISSA SMITH
Active candidates for House District 39
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.
Place of Birth: Des Moines, IA; Age on election day: 51; Residency: Billings, MT; Occupation: Self Employed Website Developer; Education: BA in Art.
Growing up in a small town in Iowa taught me the value of community, and how neighbors support each other while respecting each individual’s privacy and independence, as well as a life-long love of civics. Through my education in art, I learned both how to understand clearly what I observe, and how to communicate clearly through visual cues. Through my many years working as a service provider in retail and technical professions, managing teams, and leading projects, I learned how to work with many different people and still bring them together to get a job done.
I believe the most pressing issues facing Montana are those that stand in the way of our individual privacy and independence - an unfair tax burden on working Montanans, political barriers to accessing healthcare, educational censorship and micromanaging teachers, and a general disregard for a healthy, safe environment to live in. The irony is that we already have a state constitution that promises protections for privacy, a healthy environment and a fair tax system - a great deal can be accomplished if we stop writing unconstitutional laws, and stop wasting taxpayer money on defending them in court.
While the state constitution demands that all property in the state must be equalized for tax purposes, the distribution of the property tax burden is set by the legislature through designating classes of property, tax rates, exemptions, phase-ins, and the basis of valuation. We currently have an unequal tax system where only homeowners must pay the full value of their property, while businesses and corporations enjoy exemptions and rate caps. I support fully equalizing our property tax system to give tax relief to homeowners, and reducing tax breaks from utilities and businesses who are already making excessive profits.
After nearly two-thirds of the more than 132,000 people were disenrolled for procedural reasons or due to “failure to provide requested information.”, it’s clear that we have the opportunity to better streamline the enrollment process and make it more accessible to those who are fully qualified. Given that Medicaid reduces the health care cost burden on individuals and small businesses, keeps children healthy and enables them to access their education, and enables more people to work and support their families, all Montanans would benefit from continuing Medicaid expansion when it returns to the legislature next year in 2025.
Montana currently spends less per student than the national average in other states, and we have the lowest teacher pay in the nation. A well-educated community improves quality of life, creates more stable and productive local economies, reduces crime and improves public safety. In this context, the lack of adequate investment in our education is showing. Splitting dollars off for individual students to pay for private education reduces the efficiency of Montana’s already tight budget. Rather than raise taxes on working Montanans, I support placing a higher budget priority on public education without diversion to private schools through reducing tax breaks for the large corporations and equalizing our property tax formula.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| MELISSA SMITH | 622 |
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.