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Dark money and corporate election spending

A proposed 2026 Montana ballot measure would amend state corporate-charter law to eliminate corporate and dark-money spending in elections. Polling cited by reform advocates finds bipartisan Montana support for limiting big-money influence after Citizens United, framing the measure as a way to restore voter trust.

Should Montana ban corporate and dark-money spending in its elections?

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Sources

Issue One — https://issueone.org/press/new-polling-citizens-united-money-in-politics-reforms
Montanans were polled because a new proposed 2026 ballot measure would eliminate corporate and dark money spending in elections by amending state law governing corporate charters.
Issue One Policy Lead Liana Keesing — https://issueone.org/press/new-polling-citizens-united-money-in-politics-reforms
Montanans are sending a clear message that echoes around the country: Our democracy should be owned by voters, not bought by the wealthy few.
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Fully ban all corporate and dark-money election spending and publicly finance campaigns
  2. Strongly limit corporate and dark-money spending via the proposed ballot measure
  3. Require full donor disclosure but allow most independent spending
  4. Keep current rules; only modest disclosure tweaks are needed
  5. Protect corporate and independent spending as free speech under Citizens United

Corporate and special-interest political spending

Montana ballot measures and related discussion for 2026 include I-194 to exclude political spending from artificial persons' charter powers, aiming to restrict corporations, unions, and similar entities from political spending. Coverage notes voter concern over heavy special-interest spending and potential conflict with U.S. Supreme Court precedents.

Should Montana restrict or ban political spending by corporations, unions, and other artificial entities?

Tap a point along the line below to show where you stand.

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Sources

Ballotpedia — https://ballotpedia.org/2026_ballot_measures
In Montana, the secretary of state certified three citizen-initiated ballot measures—CI-133... and I-194, Exclude Political Spending from Artificial Persons’ Charter Powers Initiative (2026)
Election Law Blog — https://electionlawblog.org/2026/montana-ban-would-strike-at-political-spending-and-the-supreme-court
'Voter disgust over an avalanche of political spending by corporations, labor unions and other special-interest groups is driving support for a
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Yes, broadly ban or severely limit corporate, union, and dark-money political spending and independent expenditures
  2. Yes, exclude political spending from corporate charter powers and require strong disclosure
  3. Allow spending with strict transparency, contribution limits, and public financing options
  4. Protect most political spending as speech, with only narrow disclosure rules
  5. No restrictions beyond current law; corporate and group spending is protected free speech