Ready to end dark money and corporations swaying our elections? The Montana Plan is here—protecting free and fair elections for Montanans by restoring transparency! Beginning mid-March, The Montana Plan began collecting signatures from voters like you.

The Montana Plan will make Montana the first state in the USA to pass the Transparent Election Initiative. We are going to put a stop to dark money and corporate money in our elections. We are going to drive a stake through the heart of Citizens United, and put an end to our biannual gusher of campaign media sewage that angers, confuses and divides us.

For the first time anywhere, Montana’s new law will finally define in writing that corporations are not persons, but artificial entities created by law. They do not have the rights of people; they have privileges granted and limited by law. This new law made by and for the people says that corporations—all corporations, no exceptions, including those from out of state—do not have the privilege of giving money to election campaigns in Montana

This profoundly simple concept makes the infamous Citizens United decision moot, meaning it will no longer matter. By getting the Transparent Election Initiative on the ballot where we can vote it into law in November, we will be able to restore what we had on the books in Montana for a full 100 years. Corporations can’t fund campaigns, end of conversation. 

This is not our first rodeo with this corporate corruption here in Montana. We’ve been fighting the forces of greed for over a century. It took a citizen’s initiative back in 1912 to enact the Corrupt Practices Act. That corralled the Anaconda Company, which had completely crushed our freedom to govern ourselves by literally throwing bags of money over rooming house transoms in Helena.

Sixty years later, the evergreen vines of greed once again entangled our government. Another citizen’s campaign got us a new Constitution in 1972, the best in the country. And here we are after another 50 years, needing to rise up together once again. 

In Montana history, grassroots efforts have protected small businesses in the statehouse in Helena and forced elected officials to pay attention to Montanans. Not long ago in the Treasure State, you did not have to work very hard to meet your Governor or your Senator and tell them what you think. Sadly, those days are gone. We need our representation back.

The Montana Plan does not take away a single right. Individuals will still be able to write checks to campaigns, but they are going to have to follow our laws and tell us who they are and where they live.

I’ve found that everyone loves the Montana Plan, except perhaps for those that benefit from the corruption. We know who they are. They are trying to win by dividing us. This is no longer about red or blue, conservative or liberal; it’s about us deciding as Montanans that we’ve had enough with this corruption. Our elected officials have proven that they won’t fix it. It’s up to us to roll up our sleeves and pitch in together.

You will no doubt soon be meeting a friend or neighbor carrying a clipboard and asking if you’ve heard about The Montana Plan. We encourage you to help put the Transparent Election Initiative on the ballot by signing the petition.  Then, come November, we can have an honest conversation about what’s what. And that will be that.  

Let’s get this fixed in ’26.   

Brady Wiseman represented Bozeman in the Montana House of Representatives from 2005-2010. He is a community organizer for The Montana Plan.