ACLU Announces Seven-Figure Investment in Montana Supreme Court Elections

MISSOULA, Mont. — The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Montana (together “ACLU”) announced today they will invest $1.3 million in candidate races for the Supreme Court of Montana ahead of the election this November, the largest electoral investment by the organizations in the state to date. While the ACLU does not endorse or oppose any candidates, the seven-figure campaign will educate voters about the candidates’ positions on key civil rights issues, including abortion, birth control, marriage equality, and voting rights for Indigenous communities, through direct mail, radio ads, and digital ads.

The state Supreme Court has issued important decisions in prior years that have secured the rights Montanans value — including abortion rights in Armstrong v. State and striking down restrictions on Indigenous voting rights in Western Native Voice v. Jacobsen. With politicians passing increasingly extreme laws, including abortion restrictions and bans, voters have the opportunity to elect justices who will protect fundamental rights in the state from these attacks.

Statement from Akilah Deernose, executive director, ACLU of Montana:

“Every person deserves the autonomy to make personal medical decisions during pregnancy, free from government interference, but Gov. Gianforte and other extreme politicians have made it clear they will take away our fundamental rights any chance they have. From abortion to marriage equality and Indigenous voting rights, the people we entrust with seats on the Supreme Court of Montana will play a critical role in determining whether we keep the rights Montanans value or whether politicians will be allowed to take away our freedom. The ACLU and ACLU of Montana are fighting to ensure voters know where supreme court candidates stand on these issues so that they can cast an informed ballot this November.”

More on the campaign and candidate stances can be found here.