PETER STRAND
Active candidates for House District 63
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 San Francisco, CA. 59 as of 2024. Permanent resident of Bozeman, MT. Just retired from teaching in the Bozeman Public Schools after 28 years. BA from Occidental College. M. Ed. from Lesley University.
If you can be successful in the public schools, arguably the most high-stakes, unpredictable, emotionally charged, and demanding work environments in the valley, then you are well-situated to succeed on the rollercoaster that is the current MT legislature. To go further, my work experience gives me intimate familiarity with the kinds of challenges facing Bozeman residents and especially families.
Fair Taxation: The corporate tax burden has been lessened at the expense of home owners. This must be remedied. Housing: While there is insufficient room to spell out the details here, we must use creativity and ambition with the levers of government to support and create housing that is affordable. Education: For generations, public schools have been the engines of Montana communities. But funding has slipped over time, and without renewed investment, our children’s futures are at risk. To begin with, we cannot continue as the lowest paying state in the nation in terms of salaries for new teachers. Energy: We must ensure reasonably priced, responsibly-sourced energy production. This requires confronting Northwestern Energy.
- We must rebalance the tax load such that corporations pay their fair share. Residential property valuations have jumped, but other kinds of property valuations have declined. Usually, there is an attempt to balance all this out, but during the last session, this did not happen. We must rebalance such that big business doesn’t get cuts at our expense.
- We have a significant surplus at the moment. Let’s put aside some of it specifically to serve schools. The interest would make a real difference in terms of maintaining programs and paying teachers.
- Localities should be allowed more room for taxing tourists. Costs in Bozeman, for instance, are astronomical. Taxing tourists means paying employees more reasonable wages.
It is paramount that we do everything possible to take advantage of Medicaid. For the most part, this program is paid for by the federal government, and yet our leaders have recently worked to cut off this resource? According to The Daily Montanan, an astounding 127,000 Montanans, many of whom are children, were recently cut off from Medicaid. That is, they were cut off from medical support. This is the opposite of enhancing healthcare access for lower-income Montanans. If we care about Montanans, we must reverse course.
I answered this question partially in number three. But here is more:
The legislature uses a funding formula that provides schools with funding based on 3% inflationary increases per year. But the actual inflation rate has been much higher. For example, in 2022, it was 8%. In 2023, it was 4.1%. Over time, this discrepancy means shrinking support for our schools, shrinking support that compounds. We need to have our funding relate to actual on-the-ground cost increases.
Also, the school funding formula doesn’t adjust for cost of living challenges. Teachers need more money to live in Bozeman than they need in small rural communities, for instance. We need to find a way to adjust funding for schools according to cost of living.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| PETER STRAND | 810 | |
| JOHN HANSEN | 214 |
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.