MICHELE R CREPEAU
Active candidates for House District 84
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 moved to Montana in 1976 when my parents moved us from a small town in California. I moved to the Helena area in 1999 and to the East Helena area in 2005. I moved to Helena to take a job with the Montana Department of Revenue where I worked as the Department's primary property tax attorney until 2017. I interpreted existing laws, worked with the Legislature to draft proposed laws, and worked with stakeholders to improve Montana's property tax system. I became the Department's Chief Administrative Law Judge in 2017 where I heard and ruled on challenges brought against the Department by taxpayers. I retired in 2023. As a property ax expert I am uniquely qualified to help fix the current problems with our tax system.
My primary goal is to lessen the tax burden on homeowners and Main Street business owners and would support legislation to do that. I will also work to ensure continued access to public lands for recreational purposes, and to increase access where possible. Access to housing and healthcare must be addressed, as many Montanans cannot afford either. I would support legislation to address these issues. I am also verry concerned with government overreach, the lack of transparency in government, and the need for fiscal responsibility. I would support legislation to address these issues.
Montana’s property taxes are out of hand. Owners of residential property and Main Street business bear an excessive tax burden under the current system, and something needs to be done. However, it’s imperative we fund our local programs and schools. Current laws relating to the calculation of school mills need to be revisited. As a member of the Legislature, I would support a review of historic school financing needs, and work with school leaders, parents, and local governments to determine likely future needs. Once the scope of need is established, I would support legislation that would attempt to fund those needs by requiring corporations and non-resident property owners to bear a fair portion of our residents' property tax liabilities.
Untreated physical and mental health issues of our citizens have significant social and economic impacts on all Montanans. Access to proper health care reduces the overall cost to state and local governments by assisting individuals in becoming more engaged and productive members of their communities. The Legislature should strive to better serve its rural communities through programs designed to establish clinics, mobile health care, and telehealth providers in our rural areas. Our lawmakers should also work to expand services currently provided to low-income and at-risk citizens, and to develop a more workable process for determining and redetermining Medicaid eligibility.
Montana’s Constitutional goal is to establish an education system that will “develop the full educational potential of each person” and to fund the State’s share of that system in an equitable manner. Montana’s school funding process is complex, and I would work with experts from across the state to determine whether that funding process is viable or if new or additional funding is required. The Legislature’s first goal should be to support its public school system rather than to divert tax dollars to privatize education. Montana’s future is in the hands of our children and young adults, and I believe it is imperative that we provide adequate educational opportunities to ensure they become effective stewards of that future.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| MICHELE R CREPEAU | 810 | |
| DAVID WILLIAMS | 193 |
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.