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Montana court hears challenge to SB109; plaintiffs say PSC map dilutes non‑Republican votes
Summary
At oral argument in DA25‑0187, plaintiffs contended that Senate Bill 109’s redrawing of Public Service Commission districts imposes an extreme, durable vote‑diluting effect that prevents a substantial minority of non‑Republican voters from electing candidates of choice; state lawyers urged prudential limits and legislative privilege concerns.
MONTANA COURTS — Plaintiffs challenging Senate Bill 109 told the court that the legislature’s rewrite of Public Service Commission districts systematically denies non‑Republican voters a realistic opportunity to elect candidates of choice.
"The Montana Constitution prohibits the State from discriminating against its citizens' exercise of their political and civil rights on the basis of political ideology," counsel Molly Danahy told the court, arguing plaintiffs can prove a right‑to‑suffrage violation through effects‑based evidence rather than proof of discriminatory intent.
Danahy presented expert analysis, saying that under neutral maps a substantial minority of Montana voters who typically support non‑Republican…
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