{"id":28641,"date":"2022-10-03T10:34:49","date_gmt":"2022-10-03T14:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=28641"},"modified":"2022-10-03T10:38:19","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T14:38:19","slug":"montana-free-press-native-voters-win-ruling-blocking-new-election-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/10\/03\/montana-free-press-native-voters-win-ruling-blocking-new-election-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Montana Free Press: Native voters win ruling blocking new election laws"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Yellowstone<\/a>
A trial over Native voting rights took place in the Yellowstone County Courthouse in Billings, Montana, over nine days in August 2022. Photo: Sara goth<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n
Judge: New voter laws \u201cunconstitutional\u201d and permanently enjoined<\/div>\r\n
The laws would have ended Election Day voter registration, changed voter ID requirements, and banned paid ballot collection. They are now permanently blocked from going into effect.<\/div>\r\n
Monday, October 3, 2022<\/div>\r\n
By Alex Sakariassen<\/div>\r\n
Montana Free Press<\/DIV>\r\n
montanafreepress.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nA district court judge in Billings Friday permanently struck down three election administration laws<\/a> in Montana, declaring that eliminating Election Day voter registration, implementing new voter identification requirements and barring paid ballot collection are unconstitutional.

<\/P>\r\nThe order, issued by Yellowstone District Court Judge Michael Moses, closes the book on the court\u2019s deliberations in a consolidated lawsuit<\/a> that started shortly after Republicans in the Montana Legislature passed the laws in spring 2021. The lawsuit was filed against Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen by the Montana Democratic Party, Western Native Voice, Montana Youth Action and a coalition of tribal and youth advocacy groups. Moses presided over a nine-day trial last month<\/a>, during which he acknowledged the time-sensitive nature of the case given Montana\u2019s upcoming election and assured both sides he would reach a decision as quickly as possible.

<\/P>\r\nIn his ruling, Moses noted that the law ending Election Day voter registration \u2014 House Bill 176<\/a> \u2014 \u201cseverely burdens the right to vote of Montana voters, particularly Native American voters, students, the elderly, and voters with disabilities.\u201d He reached a similar conclusion regarding House Bill 530<\/a>\u2019s prohibition on paid ballot collection. As for Senate Bill 169<\/a>, which required student IDs to be accompanied by a second form of identification at the polls, Moses wrote that the law \u201cviolates the Equal Protection Clause by imposing heightened and unequal burdens on Montana\u2019s youngest voters.\u201d

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