STEVEN C KELLY
Active candidates for House District 9
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.
San Louis Obispo, Ca. I live in Kalispell, Mt. I am a retired Sheriff' Deputy from Washoe County, Reno Nv. I retired at the rank of Captain. I have a Masters Degree in Management and a Bachelors Degree in Business Management. My place of birth has little impact since I haven't lived there since I was one. During my career in interacted with county and state governments frequently. I proposed legislation and had to contend with the changes in legislation, both good and bad. At my retirement I was managing a 34 million dollar budget and two years in a row I turned money back to the Sheriff's main budget. Since my retirement I worked for a company that wrote policy for Public Safety in multiple states and am familiar with reading the law.
Taxes (see below), illegal immigration, fixing our mental health system. Illegal immigration is impacting Montana as it is being used as the vehicle by which much of the illegal drugs are being smuggled in to our state. In addition some employers are using illegal immigrants as labor to unfairly compete with business of more integrity. We need to pass laws that deter their presence in our state and make hiring them illegal. Our mental health system is failing, this is obvious when Warm Springs was delicensed. The result is when Law Enforcement encounters the mentally ill they often charge them and jail them instead of sending them into the state mental health system which has no bed space. This results in less space in our jails.
First the Montana property owner must be protected from the unpredictable swings in property values and the value assessment system. For the purposes of taxes the property values need to be frozen. The state needs to further diversify its tax structure so no single source carries the burden of funding services. This state is abundant in natural resources, but our efficient use of these (a source of tax revenue) has been hampered by overzealous environmental concerns. We need to offer reasonable solutions so that these resources are reengaged as part of our economy. Tourism is bringing billions of dollars to this state, but there is also an impact to our services and roads. We need to expand how we collect fees from those who come to visit.
We should revisit the Medicaid Expansion, with an eye towards assuring that the benefits are only going to those who truly qualify. Our tax dollars are precious. Just consider the concerns many property owners are expressing about the current increases. We need to make sure that we deliver these services efficiently and helping improve the recipients quality of life so they no longer must depend on these services.
I think part of the problem is that many taxes payers are unsatisfied with what they see is going on in education and are unwilling to pay more for what they see as a broken system. I have spoken to many parents who are disturbed by what they see as the promotion of alternate sexual life styles and transgenderism in our education system. Our schools need to return to their core function and that is teaching them the skills to be productive members of our society i.e.: reading, writing, history, arithmetic, science. etc. Voters feel disenfranchised from their school boards who tend to be dominated by people from one side of the political spectrum. As long as these issues continue, funding will be difficult.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| STEVEN C KELLY | 1,223 | |
| LEE HUESTIS | 986 |
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.