MONTANA — The Transparent Election Initiative submitted 50,000 signatures to Montana county officials on June 16. The initiative aims to qualify for the ballot and would ban political spending by corporations and other entities.

The initiative would prohibit nonprofits, trusts, partnerships, corporations, trade associations, unincorporated associations, and all entities doing business in Montana from contributing to campaigns, ballot measure elections, or political parties. It classifies these targeted entities as artificial persons, prohibiting their political spending. Violations of the proposed law would result in entities forfeiting all privileges to do business in Montana.

Petitioners for an initiated state statute in Montana must collect 30,121 signatures, which equals 5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. Montana law also requires proponents to collect signatures equal to 5% of qualified electors in each of 34 of the state's 100 legislative districts.

The Transparent Election Initiative filed the ballot initiative on January 8, 2026. Election officials cleared the initiative for signature gathering on March 10, 2026.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg endorsed the initiative in May. Buttigieg stated, "Americans don't have to accept a system where absurd amounts of corporate and dark money drown out their voices. A change to the law could ensure that elected leaders are more accountable to the people, which means a chance to finally break through and deliver on key issues from housing to health care. I'm glad to do my part to support these efforts and believe The Montana Plan could be a blueprint for how to put citizen voices, not special interests, at the center of our politics."

The Montana Chamber of Commerce opposes the initiative. Between 2010 and 2024, Montana averaged 21 filed ballot initiatives and two certified initiatives per even-year election cycle. In 2024, three initiatives qualified for the ballot in Montana.