LWV Of Billings

This news segment originally aired on KPAX

The Missoula League of Women Voters offered up voter information and registration forms at Missoula College

Helena, MT — On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, the First Judicial District issued a partial preliminary injunction to prevent enforcement of House Bill 562 (“HB 562”). The district court found that the bill likely violates separation of powers principles and voters’ constitutional right to vote in local school board elections, among other Montana constitutional provisions.

From January – August 2023, state legislatures nationwide passed various bills into law. While following these developments, the League noticed several important trends around voting rights and election administration.

Without the ability to make reproductive decisions for one’s body, those who can become pregnant cannot participate equally in our democracy.

Further, since the Dobbs decision reversing the right to abortion, numerous state governments have introduced legislation directly or indirectly related to reproductive rights, challenging doctrines of US democracy. 

In June 2022, the US Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and ending the federal constitutional right to abortion. As the Supreme Court no longer recognizes the right to abortion as protected by the US Constitution, this ruling makes state constitutional amendments even more significant, leaving the right to abortion up to federal or state laws. 

A federal court has upheld Montana Governor Steve Bullock’s directive allowing the state’s counties to proceed with conducting vote-by-mail elections this November.