WHEREAS, The Montana Republican Party, the party of equality, the party of opportunity for all, party of favoritism for none and to encourage and allow the broadest possible participation of all voters in Montana.

WHEREAS, Montana has operated on a well-understood and relatively uniform election system that has been implemented over one hundred years to support our constitutional republic.

WHEREAS, Montana primary and general elections ensure that voters who support one candidate, not a plurality of candidates, are heard clearly while ranked choice voting schemes open elections to ‘ballot exhaustion’ on the disenfranchisement of voters who choose not to support multiple candidates who do not clearly represent their values;

WHEREAS, States and communities where ranked choice voting has been tested have consistently decreased voter participation in those communities and in many cases the elections have resulted in more discarded votes than counted votes;

WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting often results in additional tabulation delays resulting in days or weeks of additional counting while depending exclusively on technology without traceable ballots to support determined winners; and

WHEREAS, Supporters of ranked choice voting seek to eliminate or disempower party primaries; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Republican Party of Montana rejects ranked choice voting and similar schemes that increase election distrust, and voter suppression and disenfranchisement, eliminate the historic political party system, and put elections in the hands of expensive election schemes that cost taxpayers and depend exclusively on confusing technology and unelected bureaucrats to manage it; and

RESOLVED, Montana calls on the Congress, Montana State Legislature, and voters to oppose ranked choice voting and similar schemes at every level of government.