The Montana Constitution Celebrates 50 Years – What Can Your Constitution Do For You?

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This is the title of a series of events the League of Women Voters - Helena Chapter will hold this year to mark the Montana Constitution’s 50th anniversary. Kicking off the series will be Jim Nelson, retired Montana Supreme Court Justice, speaking on how Montanans can proactively use our Montana Constitution. This talk is via webinar co-hosted by Lewis & Clark Library. 

Nelson considers Montana’s Constitution the best in the country; he wants more people to know why, and how to use it and also how to defend it.

The Constitution is not just for defending Montanans’ rights, but also for aggressively asserting them, says Nelson. “My intent is to encourage my audience to develop their own vision of the Montana Constitution and its important rights and allow them to use it as a template for important decisions in daily life.” 

A key right that could be used more proactively is Montanans’ right to a clean and healthful environment. It can be used to demand that the Montana government take more assertive steps to combat the current climate crisis, he says. “Montanans can demand the environment be protected at least by the state government.”

He will also talk about women’s reproductive rights and what’s happening on this important issue in Montana and nationally. “I will also talk about the right to vote. States around the country have passed laws that do not make voting easier. Montana has a constitutional right to vote in the strongest possible terms. Basically it says, no power, no power, civil or military, can be used to restrict the right to free and fair elections. The legislature cannot pass laws making it harder to vote.”