MISSOULA, Mont. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana today announced the launch of a $2 million joint campaign with ACLU Voter Education Fund to educate and engage Montana voters ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
“Montanans are fed up with partisan infighting and extreme laws that try to take away our fundamental rights. That’s why the ACLU is committed to keeping politics out of our courts and investing to ensure the Montana Supreme Court can continue to play a critical role in defending our freedoms,” said Khadija Davis, ACLU of Montana political strategist. “Voters deserve to know where candidates stand on key issues that affect their rights. It’s more important than ever that they know what’s at stake when they cast their ballots this November.”
The ACLU Voter Education Fund (VEF), a federal political action committee, is spending $2 million on a series of statewide advertisements on social and digital media platforms and direct-to-voter mailers during the final weeks of the state Supreme Court race and key state legislative races. Additionally, the ACLU VEF will fund radio advertisements in Indian Country. The advertisements will focus on educating voters about where candidates stand on key issues, including abortion rights, voting rights, and keeping politics out of the courts. This is the organizations’ largest electoral investment in Montana to date and will reach over 191,200 voters.
The Montana Supreme Court is responsible for interpreting the state constitution and state laws. As the state’s highest court, it has the final say on many questions involving civil rights and civil liberties, and the Montana Constitution can provide broader protections than the U.S. Constitution. In recent years, the court has issued decisions protecting abortion rights and striking down restrictions on Indigenous voting rights. Amid increasing attacks on civil rights and liberties, voters will choose justices who will decide cases involving fundamental rights in the state.
The spending in the state Supreme Court race builds on the ACLU’s electoral work in Montana in 2024. That year, the ACLU of Montana and ACLU spent $1.3 million educating voters about issues at stake in the state Supreme Court election. The ACLU Foundation also contributed more than $500,000 to a ballot measure to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution.
The ACLU of Montana, ACLU Voter Education Fund, and ACLU are nonpartisan and do not support or oppose candidates for elected office. The organizations do, however, educate the voters about the issues at stake in elections and candidates’ positions and records on civil rights and civil liberties.
Stay Informed
Sign up to be the first to hear about how to take action.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.