Montana Democratic Party challenges new state Voting ID laws

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The Democratic Party in Montana has filed suit challenging state voting laws that end election day voter registration and require college students to produce proof of residency besides student ID to register and vote, the Washington Times reports. In filing suit against Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, the party argues the laws place an unnecessary and unconstitutional burden on the right to vote for Native Americans, the elderly, the disabled, and students.

The lawsuit was filed in the state District Court of Billings, the Washington Times reports. Legal action was taken in response to the bills’ recent signing into law by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte. While Republicans say the bills will “help ensure the continued integrity of Montana’s elections for years to come,” Democrats argue there is no basis for legitimate concern about the integrity of the state’s elections.

In its lawsuit, the Democratic party said the laws “represent the latest round of legislative shadowboxing aimed at imaginary threats to election integrity, and false accusations of election fraud orchestrated by those seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, now weaponized by the Legislature to impede access to the franchise.”

The new legislation removed “important voting procedures that were critical in facilitating political participation for thousands of new Montana voters over nearly two decades,” the lawsuit says.

Former Republican President Donald Trump won the state of Montana in the 2020 general election.

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