PAUL TUSS
Active candidates for House District 27
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 in Anaconda, Montana. 59 years old. Permanent resident of Havre, Montana. Executive Director of Bear Paw Development Corporation for the past 24 years. Bachelor's degree from the University of Montana.
I have worked in the nonprofit economic and community development sector of northern Montana's economy for nearly 30 years, the past 24 years serving five counties and two reservations in the Havre area.
I have spent the vast majority of my career working to help communities grow and prosper. Through financing small business start-ups and expansions, I have assisted entrepreneurs in northern Montana create jobs, expand the tax base, and make our Main Streets more vibrant.
I strongly support property tax reform that provides relief to residential and small business property owners. The last legislature failed to adjust property tax rates following the most recent reappraisal cycle. This caused undue hardship on small businesses and homeowners. We need to fix this in the 2025 legislative session.
In 2025, the legislature must also reauthorize Medicaid Expansion. Failing to do so will cause countless Montanans to lose medical coverage, will forgo $900 million of federal investment into Montana's Medicaid Expansion program and will cause more than 7,500 health care workers to lose their jobs. In rural Montana, failure to reauthorize Medicaid Expansion will very likely cause health facilities to close.
The legislature needs to adjust property tax rates for homeowners and small businesses so the increase due to the most recent reappraisal cycle is mitigated.
We should also look at the possibility of creating another property tax classification for non-Montanans who have second and third vacation homes in our state but currently pay the same rate as Montana families do for their family home.
Property tax rates should be fair and not unduly burden Montana residents while allowing wealthy out of state property owners a tax haven.
The very first thing the Montana legislature should address with regard to health care in our state is the reauthorization of Medicaid Expansion, which is scheduled to expire in 2025. This program provides health care for scores of lower income Montanans, most of whom are in the workforce and contributing members of society.
This program allows rural hospitals and health clinics to stay afloat and provides jobs for more than 7,500 health care workers in Montana.
Medicaid Expansion is also a great financial deal for the State of Montana, with the federal government picking up 80% of the cost of the program, which equates to $900 million a year into our economy.
The Montana legislature should invest wisely in the proper education of our children, especially since these students will become our state's future workforce. Appropriating funds to help local school districts with the rising cost of providing a quality education to our children is an important first step to take to both bolster education at the local level and also mitigate the need for school districts to raise mill levies to fund their operation.
I will also continue to support investing in vocational education in Montana to assure we have Montana residents who can afford to attend trade schools and vocational programs. I had a bill to do this last session and will continue to do what is possible to enhance the trades in Montana.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| PAUL TUSS | 863 |
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.